Traveling for Thanksgiving? Here’s how the weather could affect your plans

Ben Gelber
·2 min read
4
Traveling for Thanksgiving? Here’s how the weather could affect your plans

Columbus and Central Ohio Weather

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Looking ahead to the Thanksgiving travel week forecast, expect a soggy start before colder, drier air sweeps in before the holiday.

A large storm system will track from the southern Plains to the Lower Great Lakes early in the week, accompanied by rain and blustery conditions Monday night and Tuesday. Rainfall totals will range up to half an inch. The wind will increase, gusting over 20 mph. Expect a reduction in visibility before the rain tapers off to scattered showers in the evening.

The rain will become heavier along and east of the Appalachians Tuesday afternoon and evening, and severe weather–thunderstorms, strong winds and isolated tornadoes–will threaten the Southern states late Monday and Tuesday.

Stormy conditions will shift to the Eastern Seaboard on Wednesday, which will likely impact air travel. Heavy rain and strong winds will impact coastal sections with a storm developing offshore. Heavy snow will blanket northern New England in time for Thanksgiving.

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Behind a trailing cold front, a blast of chilly air will rush in on Wednesday that will linger through the remainder of the long holiday weekend, but the weather will be fairly dry. Some snow showers will develop in the snowbelt region of northeast Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania and western New York Wednesday night into Thanksgiving downwind of lakes Erie and Ontario.

Temperatures will be seasonably cool, with readings in the upper 40s to mid-50s early in the week. Expect a drop in temperature Wednesday through Friday, with highs in the low to mid-40s, under mainly sunny skies.

The long-range outlook suggests a moderately cool pattern lingering through the remainder of the month. A few showers are possible later next weekend, possibly mixed with some wet snow in places on Sunday for returning travelers to Ohio.

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