Thanksgiving weather will go from mild to messy

While the weather should cooperate with your travel plans across the country before Thanksgiving, the journey home may bring rain or snow depending on where you live.

Nearly 55 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more this year for Thanksgiving, an increase of 1.5% from 2021 and close to pre- pandemic levels, according to the American Automobile Association.

Warmer weather is on its way. The National Weather Service said that “high pressure over much of the lower 48 will support clear conditions and the beginning of a warming trend emanating over the central Plains ( Monday) and spreading eastward later in the week.”

This also will put an end to the Arctic chill that’s spread over much of the nation the past few days, as well as the ferocious lake- effect snowstorm that buried western New York under as much as 80 inches of snow, the weather service said.

Here’s what to know before you hit the road:

Before the holiday: What to know as you leave home

The balance of the country can expect quiet conditions for travelers on Wednesday, said AccuWeather meteorologist Renee Duff.

But there are some pockets of the country that will see weather activity on Wednesday:

● Wintry weather in the northern Rockies and northern Plains

● Downpours in Florida and along the Southeast coast

● A few showers are possible in central and northern Texas.

Thanksgiving Day travel: Prepare for storms

● Southern U. S.: On Thanksgiving Day, a storm will start to crank up over portions of the central and southern U. S., forecasters say.

“Thunderstorms packing torrential downpours could make for a soggy Turkey Day in cities such as Lake Charles and New Orleans, Louisiana, and Jackson, Mississippi,” AccuWeather meteorologist Bill Deger said. “Meanwhile, snow showers could make for make for a wintry scene and slick roads in parts of the Upper Midwest.”

● The West: According to Weather. com, areas from California into much of the Plains have the best chance of a dry Thanksgiving. Warmer than average conditions will be possible along the West Coast.

Later this week: Soggy conditions in the East and South

That same soggy storm could cause problems for the trip home after the holiday, forecasters warned, mainly in the East and South.

“Travelers should be prepared for a slew of hazards ranging from heavy rain and wind to accumulating snow for some,” according to Duff.

As of Monday, the forecast shows much of the East and South could have to contend with wet weather from the storm system that begins to develop on Thanksgiving Day, Weather. com said.