A massive snowstorm is looming over the United States on the busiest travel day of the year. Nearly 55 million Americans will be flying and driving home to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. The storm system is expected to disrupt holiday travel plans. New Yorkers will need to be especially vigilant this Thanksgiving as the massive winter weather system moves through the region just before the festivities.
According to reports from ‘The Sun’, a vigorous upper-level trough is moving through the western United States, sending rapid weather disturbances from west to east. The National Weather Service’s Prediction Center has warned of the potential for significant holiday travel impacts. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has issued a warning about the “major impacts on holiday travel” expected due to the extreme weather system.
Hochul has ordered all state agencies, including the Department of Transportation and the National Guard, to prepare for the “worst-case scenario”. She advised that drivers avoid traveling on Wednesday, as the worst part of the weather system is expected to hit then. Hochul also advised those planning Thanksgiving celebrations to buy their food supplies well in advance to avoid getting stuck trying to get what they need for the holidays.
The governor also compared the forecast with a snowstorm in 2014 that left seven feet of snow in some parts of New York. She pointed out that while Wednesday’s forecast predicts highs around 43 degrees in New York with rain, the temperature will drop to 24 degrees at night. Snow might continue until Thanksgiving Day, and Hochul expressed concern about the cold and the possibility of lake-effect snow on Lake Ontario.
While it is still too early to predict the exact location and severity of the storm, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Chief Meteorologist David Nicosia warned that adverse weather is expected. Drivers are not the only travelers at risk on the East Coast of the United States; many major airports will also experience poor weather conditions due to the snowstorm.
The impending snowstorm is expected to disrupt travel plans during the Thanksgiving holiday season, and travelers are advised to stay updated on weather forecasts and take necessary precautions to ensure they reach their destinations safely.
