“Winter’s Wrath: How Holiday Storms Threaten Travel Plans for Millions This Christmas”

Numerous Americans are journeying for Christmas, and adverse weather may interfere with their celebratory arrangements.

Although no significant storms are anticipated, bands of rain and winter conditions are likely to hinder holiday travel, particularly in the eastern United States. Nearly 120 million individuals are predicted to travel this year – marking a historic high for the Christmas season, according to AAA.

What are the problematic areas this week?

Expect unfavorable weather throughout the West and the southern Plains, as some of the coldest air of the season briefly sweeps through the Northeast.

Regions enjoying a better forecast for Christmas Day include most of the central and eastern United States.

While light rain may occur in cities like Atlanta and Chicago, any last-minute travel plans shouldn’t be significantly disrupted.

The calmer weather should facilitate a smoother travel experience on Wednesday.

Additional snow anticipated in Northeast for Christmas Eve

Several inches of snow descended over the weekend in parts of the Northeast, with snowflakes reaching the Interstate 95 corridor from Philadelphia to New York and into Boston.

This led to slippery travel conditions during what was expected to be one of the busiest travel seasons of the year.

By Saturday morning, approximately 3-6 inches of snow blanketed eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut.

Boston’s renowned Fenway Park recorded a solid 6 inches of snow on the historic field of the Boston Red Sox, while Logan Airport in the city observed 5.2 inches.

This was the highest snowfall accumulation in the city since the Blizzard of January 2022.

Another system generating snow will move through similar areas of the region as Christmas Eve approaches.

A low-pressure area progressing across the Great Lakes into Monday night is bringing light to moderate snow to Wisconsin and Michigan.

This snowfall is set to reach the interior Northeast and parts of New England overnight, continuing into Tuesday morning.

Winter Weather Advisories are in effect from Wisconsin to Maine, as well as in some parts of the mid-Atlantic from West Virginia to New Jersey.

Cities such as Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia are included in these winter weather warnings due to the possibility of freezing rain, sleet, and light snow, which could create icy road conditions on Tuesday morning.

The snow and wintry mix are forecasted to quickly diminish from west to east on Christmas Eve, so anyone traveling in the latter part of the day should not encounter significant road issues.

Persistent rounds of rain and mountain snow to impact West Coast

The FOX Forecast Center is monitoring a sequence of storms approaching the West and Northwest throughout this week.

Though these storms will generally be weak to moderate through Christmas Day, the extended period of windy and unstable conditions will persist after the holiday as people return home.

For regions along the West Coast from San Francisco to Seattle, moderate to heavy rain could pose a low-end risk for flash flooding.

By Tuesday, areas of Northern California and coastal Oregon could receive over 6 inches of rainfall.

Travelers flying through Seattle’s Sea-Tac Airport and airports in the San Francisco Bay Area may experience delays.

Snow levels remain generally elevated for this event, so most of the significant snow will be restricted to parts of the Cascade Mountains, northern Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the northern Rockies. Heavy mountain snowfall is anticipated.

An additional heavier round of rain and mountain snow is set to arrive on Christmas Day, likely causing travel complications for individuals heading to and returning from any holiday gatherings.

Thunderstorms predicted across Southern states

A developing storm system is expected to start drawing moisture from the Gulf of Mexico on Monday, potentially sparking scattered showers and thunderstorms from Texas to southern Missouri.

Chances of rain are set to continue at least through Christmas Eve, with precipitation amounts that might total 2-3 inches in the Ark-La-Tex region.

Some thunderstorms could be strong to severe, with gusty winds, cloud-to-ground lightning and heavy rain being the main threats.

Rainfall rates exceeding an inch per hour could lead to isolated areas of flash flooding, yet most of the rain is expected to be beneficial as the region has been experiencing a drought for months.

End-of-year warmup approaching

Shifting from frigid conditions to surprisingly mild, the FOX Forecast Center is tracking an end-of-year warmup that will affect hundreds of millions as we approach the end of 2024.

Forecast models indicate that a relatively strong and vigorous Pacific jet stream may develop around Christmas over the central Pacific Ocean. This can lead to several implications for the weather in the US.

Typically, this results in not only a warmer-than-usual air mass for the Lower 48 states but can also yield a more active storm pattern.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center’s extended temperature and precipitation forecasts underscore this trend, showing nearly the entire Lower 48 above average for the week following Christmas, with almost everyone – with the exception of parts of the Southwest and south-central United States – at or above average for precipitation.

High temperatures are predicted to rise 10-20 degrees above average, with over 200 million individuals likely feeling the warmth in early 2025.