Messy Storm May Complicate Peak MA Christmas Travel Days

MASSACHUSETTS — If you're planning to travel over Christmas weekend, it will not be smooth sailing.

Much of the U.S. will be dealing with some form of nasty weather on Thursday and Friday as two storm systems — one over the Midwest, the other off the Carolina coast — converge and provide enough rain, snow and gusty winds to cause some travel delays.

According to a AAA travel forecast, about 4.25 million New England residents will travel more than 50 miles this year over Christmas and New Year's. Many of those trips will be by plane, and could be delayed by the storm.

Travel conditions in New England will be “poor,” especially on Friday, AccuWeather projected.

"At this time, there is every indication to believe that a major storm will unfold and track from somewhere over the South Central states to the Northeast," AccuWeather Senior MeteoroligistPaul Pastelok said.

The National Weather Service is predicting up to 2 inches of rain could fall across southern New England between Thursday night and Friday evening. Unlike the chilly nor'easter from last week, this pre-Christmas storm will bring warm temperatures up to 60 degrees on Friday with high winds.

"Strong low-pressure system to bring the potential for heavy rainfall, strong winds, and coastal flooding to southern New England late Thursday into Friday," the weather service said Monday.

Conditions will change rapidly by Christmas Eve with chilly temperatures in the low 30s, and a little colder on Christmas Sunday. The cold temperatures will mean a slight chance for a white Christmas in Massachusetts — but only along the south coast, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket due to ocean-effect snow.

Read the AccuWeather report here.