Post-Thanksgiving Storm Could Disrupt Travel Plans After Days Of Strong Wind Gusts

By Joe Lombardi From Daily Voice

Gusty winds and colder air will sweep across the Northeast on Thanksgiving Day, followed by a winter storm that could cause travel disruptions for millions heading home after the holiday.

The National Weather Service says Turkey Day on Thursday, Nov. 27, will bring brisk conditions, with westerly winds gusting 25-35 mph and occasional gusts as high as 40 mph. High temperatures will stay below normal in the mid 40s, with wind chills in the 30s throughout the day.

AccuWeather

Despite the cold and windy weather, conditions are expected to allow the larger balloons at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City to fly.

“Wind speed is one of the most important weather factors for the Thanksgiving Day parade balloons in New York City,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said. “Wind gusts are currently forecast to remain near 30 mph during the parade, which is below but very close to the threshold that would ground the balloons.

"The larger balloons should be able to fly, but handlers may need to keep them closer to street level. People heading out to the parade should bundle up.”

The combination of cold air and gusty winds will bring lake-effect snow to areas around the Great Lakes and into the interior Northeast through Thanksgiving Day and into Black Friday, Nov. 28. Sudden snow squalls are possible for much of the Northeast during that time.

AccuWeather

Looking ahead, a new storm is forecast to move through the Midwest this weekend, with meteorologists warning of widespread travel disruptions that may ripple across the United States.

“Even a few inches of snow at major airports such as Chicago O’Hare or Minneapolis–St. Paul can lead to delays and cancellations for travelers heading home,” Pydynowski said. “De-icing operations and snow removal on runways can create a domino effect, with disruptions at key hubs leading to delays at airports across the country.”

The storm is expected to bring a corridor of 6-12 inches of snow across parts of Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota.

Most of the Northeast will see rain from the system on Sunday, Nov. 30, but areas shown in pink in the first image above will see a mix of snow and rain.