(NEW YORK) — Traveling to your Thanksgiving destination may be smoother than heading home, with a cross-country storm potentially bringing widespread rain and snow Friday through Sunday.
Here’s a look at the Thanksgiving week weather forecast:
Wednesday
On Wednesday, a winter storm began to hit the Upper Midwest, with parts of North and South Dakota already reporting 8 inches of snowfall.
A winter storm warning remains in place for the Twin Cities, with an accumulation of up to 6 inches of snow expected. Snow will end in this area by noon local time Wednesday.
Blizzard warnings have been issued from northern Wisconsin through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where the combination of heavy snow and strong winds will lead to whiteout conditions and drifting snow.
Ironwood, Michigan, could see up to 30 inches of snow, with wind gusts reaching 55 mph.
Traverse City, Michigan, is under a winter storm watch for 8 inches of snow from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning. With wind gusts up to 50 mph, whiteout conditions are possible.
Thursday
Most of the country will be dry on Thanksgiving.
But in the Great Lakes region, the lake-effect snow machine will turn on and start dumping snow to the downwind side of the Great Lakes through Friday.
A lake-effect snow warning is in place for places including Orchard Park, New York, and Watertown, New York, from 1 a.m. Thursday to 1 a.m. Saturday, with 10 to 20 inches of snow possible in these areas.
Syracuse, New York, is also under a winter storm watch, with 3 to 8 inches of snow in the forecast from Thursday afternoon through Saturday morning.
New York City could see wind gusts up to 35 mph with temperatures in the lower 40s, feeling like the lower 30s.
Friday
On Friday, a new storm system will begin moving cross-country from the Pacific Northwest.
The storm may bring snow on Friday to the northern Plains — from the Dakotas to Iowa.
Saturday
On Saturday, rain is possible from Missouri to Louisiana, while snow is possible from Nebraska to Michigan, including Minneapolis, Chicago and Detroit.
Sunday
By Sunday afternoon and evening, this system may bring rain to much of the East Coast, especially the Northeast, with temperatures too warm for widespread snow.
Sunday is predicted to be the busiest air travel day for Thanksgiving.
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