Thanksgiving: Storm threatens road and air travel
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), more than 80 million Americans are expected to travel during the upcoming holiday period.
Two people walk through New York during a rainy day. File image
Americans' holiday plans during the Thanksgiving holiday could be affected by a storm that is entering the country along the southwest coast and projected to move eastward as the days go by and cause roadblocks and delays on flights and trains.
As reported by the National Weather Service (NWS), there will be thunderstorms that will be accompanied by "moderate to heavy" rainfall in the area between northeast Texas and the Memphis, Tenn., metropolitan area.
From San Antonio to Austin, Texas, the NWS already has warned that showers and thunderstorms could arrive "between Sunday and Monday," with a corresponding decline in temperatures.
Also, from its division in Houston, the weather agency stressed that "another system arrives Monday with a better chance of rain" and "cooler weather [is] expected by Thanksgiving."
In Chicago and across Illinois, showers will make an appearance starting Monday night, according to a report from the NWS. The precipitation will persist through Tuesday. On Wednesday, temperatures are forecast to drop considerably, so residents are asked to use caution when traveling.
A cold front and strong wind currents will impact New York on Wednesday, accompanied by occasional precipitation, as is forecast in Boston and Washington, D.C.
While in Minnesota, residents could see snowfall.
More than 80 million people could be traveling, most of them by road
Despite the predicted storm, tens of millions of people will travel to other places during this holiday period.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA) in a release, about 81.8 million people will travel during the Thanksgiving vacation, 1.6 million more than last year.
The vast majority—73 million people (90%)—will do so by road with their own vehicle, while around six million will board a plane. The rest will take a train, bus or boat.
Regarding air travel, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) assured, in a statement, that it "is ready to handle more than 360,000 flights."
In addition, the agency predicted that the country could be facing "a period of record air traffic," as FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford maintained.
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