Thanksgiving, Black Friday Outlook: Hazardous Weather Expected

It's the worst time of year for driving, and it could get even worse for millions of Pennsylvania drivers this weekend.

The Thanksgiving weather outlook is out, and the Nation Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for parts of Pennsylvania. But everyone in the state is expected to be impacted by bad weather that could make the state's busy roads very slippery.

The alert has been issued for areas of Pennsylvania that are north of I-78 and I-80:

Otherwise, rain is expected to fall throughout the state, with most of it coming after 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving, just as people sit down to eat their turkey - and then get ready driving the short or long distance home.Light wintry mix to cause slippery conditions in Northeast.

If temperatures drop below freezing, nearly all of Pennsylvania will contend with some icy conditions for the Thanksgiving holiday, according to AccuWeather. While precipitation will be light in the Northeast, even a small amount of snow and ice can cause slick roads, sidewalks and driveways, the weather service noted.

The greatest threat for icy spots on Thanksgiving will be from northern Pennsylvania up to southern New England. Sporadic areas of light rain and drizzle are expected elsewhere across the Northeast, but the day will not be a washout, according to AccuWeather.

Here is the weather forecast for the state:

• Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 49. Northwest wind 7 to 9 mph.
• Wednesday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Light and variable wind - though a wintry mix could hit areas north of I-78 and I-80.
• Thanksgiving Day: Showers likely, mainly after 1 p.m., with a wintry mix in areas north of I-78 and I-80. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. South wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a 10th of an inch possible.
• Thursday night: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Calm wind.
• Friday: A chance of showers after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
• Friday night: A chance of showers, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Patch file photo