Fierce Nor'easter Snarls Thanksgiving Travel

By Beth Dalbey (Patch Staff)

Some 30 million Americans may be eating airport food instead of turkey this Thanksgiving as a crippling nor’easter snarls holiday travel at airports all along the East Coast.

Even if the weather is clear where you’re at, the storm could affect arrivals and departures at local airports.

“The storm will have a major impact nationwide to air travel, as the ripple effect from delays and cancellations in the Northeast hubs impacts the rest of the country,” CNN senior meteorologist Dave Hennen said.

Some 164 flights have already been canceled, with more expected, according to FlightAware.com. The website offers a flight tracker travelers and those waiting for their arrivals can use to check the status of flights.

Long delays, which will likely continue through Wednesday evening, are expected at major airports in Philadelphia, New York, Boston and Washington, DC.

The good news: Thanksgiving Day travel should be normal as the storm exits and conditions return to normal. Track the storm here.

Traveling through the air isn’t the only challenge to getting home for the holidays.

AAA said in a news release that 46 million Americans plan to drive 50 miles or more to their holiday destinations – 90 percent of them on the roads. The worst road conditions will be found in Connecticut, most of Massachusetts, and into Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, where up to a foot of snow is possible.

“The busy I-95 corridor will be impacted by both rain and snow,” Hennen said. “It will be the rough dividing line between snow to the west, and rain to the east.”

AAA said drivers should check local forecasts before leaving “to ensure the safety of you and your family” or consider changing their travel times to avoid the storm entirely.

Also, AAA said, be sure to check tire pressure, car batteries and windshield wipers before setting out, and stock up on nonperishable food items, water and emergency supplies in case you get stuck.

If you’re traveling by Amtrak in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, follow Twitter handles, @AmtrakNEC and @AmtrakVA, for updates.

The East Coast isn’t the only place getting snow over the nation’s busiest holiday travel week. Much of the Upper Midwest, including Chicago and Minneapolis, has some snow in the forecast.

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Photo via Creative Commons