Howling winds, cold temperatures and even the chance of heavy snow could be in store for many Americans across the country as they gather for their Thanksgiving feasts next week.
Forecasters said there is a risk of “unsettled weather” across much of the country over the holiday from an area of low pressure in the mid-levels of the atmosphere, which will also persist into the post-Thanksgiving travel season.
For some areas, that will mean “the coldest air of the season,” according to the National Weather Service.
Here’s what the forecast looks like for Thanksgiving:
Weather forecast outlook maps for Thanksgiving and holiday weekend
‘Messy Thanksgiving travel’: Thanksgiving week weather forecast by region
A Climate Prediction Center forecast for Thanksgiving through December 2 shows cold temperatures for much of the eastern U.S.
A Climate Prediction Center forecast for Thanksgiving through December 2 shows an increased potential for precipitation along the East Coast.
Rain, snow in the East on Thanksgiving, Black Friday
A developing storm could bring a rainy and snowy holiday to the eastern half of the country, according to AccuWeather meteorologists.
If the storm moves slowly, it could have lasting impacts from the Tennessee and Ohio valleys through the Northeast, but if the storm ends up going farther south and off the Carolina coast, it would be less intense but still bring rain and snow.
“A storm has the potential to snarl transit for those even traveling locally across portions of the Midwest and Northeast on Thanksgiving Day, even those chasing Black Friday deals could contend with travel challenges,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys said.
The weather could also impact popular holiday parades, including in New York City, AccuWeather said.
The National Weather Service predicted that there was a moderate risk of “hazardous cold” across the Northern Plains, with low temperatures that could get down to -10 degrees and feel even colder with wind chill. There is also a slight risk of heavy snow across the Great Lakes and the northeast.
High winds could also impact much of the eastern part of the country between Wednesday and Friday, particularly in the South away from the coast, the central Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic, the weather service said.
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Thanksgiving winter storm forecast says snow could snarl travel
