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The busiest holiday travel period on record is being challenged by strikes, rain, and snow, with two major storm systems threatening to disrupt travel plans across the United States. According to AAA, roughly 80 million Americans are expected to travel during the week of Thanksgiving. The vast majority of trips will be on the road, with 71.7 million car journeys, surpassing last year's figure by 1.3 million, which was helped in no small part by lower gas prices, which could reach a national average of $3 a gallon this week.
Severe weather conditions, including strong winds, heavy rain, and snow, could cause significant disruptions, particularly in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions.
Two separate storm systems are due to bring bad weather to different parts of the country. On Monday (November 25) and Tuesday, the Rockies and the Cascades could face high winds and snow, making travel difficult in mountain areas. Up to five inches of snow could land on Michigan's Upper Peninsular, with other areas set to get between one and five inches. This weather system is then set to move east, causing potential problems on roads with up to an inch of rain from the Southeast to the Northeast. On Wednesday, that storm will intensify and expand, bringing a wintry mix of rain, snow, and strong winds.
Thanksgiving Day will be a wet one for much of the Eastern Seaboard, from New England down to the South, while in the northern states, it could be bitterly cold, reaching 26 degrees in Minnesota. The second storm system is set to have an effect from California to New England, with widespread heavy rain and snow in mountain ranges. On Monday, the Pacific Northwest could see between one and three inches of rain, and the highest parts of the southern Sierra Nevada could see three to four feet of snow.
Travelers are advised to stay alert for possible flight delays or cancellations throughout the extended weekend. The Transportation Security Administration is prepared for a busy week, as 18.3 people are expected to be screened at airports across the country from November 26 through December 2. The storm systems could cause significant delays, and travelers are advised to check with their airline before leaving for the airport.
In addition to the weather, air travelers could see delays after service workers at North Carolina's Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the ninth-busiest airport in the United States, walked off the job on Monday, demanding an end to poverty wages and respect on the job during the holiday travel season. The striking workers are ABM and Prospect Airport Services employees, whose tasks include cleaning planes and assisting passengers in wheelchairs. Later on Monday, about 100 SEIU workers at the Los Angeles International Airport planned to rally for better pay and access to affordable health care, potentially adding to travel delays on the West Coast.