Thanksgiving Weather Forecast as Multiple States Impacted by 'Messy' Storm

Americans could be in for a wet and wild Thanksgiving with travel disruptions expected as a huge storm is likely to strike.

Thanksgiving travelers in the Northeast and Midwest are poised to experience a substantial storm in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 23. The storm will likely usher in heavy rain, snow and gusty winds over much of the South, East and Northeast parts of the U.S. It is expected to impact major highways and airports, potentially resulting in airline delays and cancellations.

Maps show the storm will take shape over the South-Central U.S., gaining strength as it moves northeastward into the middle of next week, just ahead of Thanksgiving. As rain and reduced visibility settle into key hubs and highways in the Northeast, delays are likely on Tuesday afternoon and into the evening from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia and New York City. The Boston area is anticipated to bear the brunt of the heaviest rain and adverse conditions on Wednesday.

"In the wake of a cold front that will produce a period of rain in the Appalachians on Friday and spotty showers in the mid-Atlantic Friday night, chillier and more seasonable air will sweep from the Great Lakes to the Northeast this weekend," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.

"As the chilly air catches up with the back side of a storm over the Atlantic, a period of snow may bring a small accumulation to some of the higher elevations from northern New York to northern New England later Saturday and Saturday night.

"However, travel problems due to the burst of wintry weather and brief snow showers that can occur on Sunday from southern Ontario to southern New York and northern New England will be brief and localized."

Southern states are also expected to be impacted. Following the potential for severe thunderstorms in the lower Mississippi Valley on Monday, the storm will bring rain over the Ohio and Tennessee valleys on Monday night. Rain is then forecast to spread over the Great Lakes and central and southern Appalachians on Tuesday.

Travelers in Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Cleveland can anticipate drenching rain starting Monday night, with a further thorough soaking anticipated on Tuesday. There is even a chance of enough cold air on the storm's northwestern flank to allow snow to mix in from parts of northern Illinois and Wisconsin to northern Michigan.

The Midwest will experience dry and colder air by Wednesday, although gusty crosswinds may persist, potentially causing localized issues at some airports. Rain will continue into the Mid-Atlantic and parts of New England on Tuesday night before moving out to sea and into Canada on Wednesday night.

As the storm encounters colder air in the Northeast, there's a possibility of pockets of ice and snow from upstate New York to central and northern New England. Travel conditions are expected to gradually improve across the Northeast late on Wednesday evening.

Significant bands of snow could develop given the cold air, meaning travelers could be faced with slippery roads and poor visibility in northern and central Michigan to northeastern Ohio, northwestern Pennsylvania and most of New York state on Wednesday through Thursday night.

For those traveling longer distances on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday, dry and clear conditions are expected across these parts of the country.