Will Weather or Traffic Ruin Your Thanksgiving? Possibly Both

Sure, it could be a dry turkey or a loudmouth uncle that spoil your Thanksgiving, but that's only if you actually make it to dinner.

What Is The Thanksgiving Day Weather Forecast?

Conditions are likely to be favorable for travel both on Nov. 22 and Thanksgiving Day with a couple exceptions.

The Weather Channel is currently forecasting precipitation early in the week in parts of the Midwest. There is a chance that could turn into snow over the Great Lakes and the Northeast.

"Models are varying on this," Domenica Davis, meteorologist with The Weather Channel, said. "So this is a forecast, if you are in this part of the country, you really need to pay attention to for snow potential coming up next week."

The Farmers' Almanac predicts much of the precipitation will be out of the area once Thanksgiving arrives.

Predicted temperatures throughout the Midwest and Northeast for Thanksgiving are hovering between 40 and 50 degrees.

The Northwest could see some rain with temps in the upper 40s. Parts of California and Florida could see Thanksgiving Day temperatures in the mid- to upper 70s.

How Bad Will Thanksgiving Be In 2023?

Even if you are looking at favorable weather conditions, you may be facing an increased chance of getting slowed down by crowds when traveling for Thanksgiving this year.

AAA, who started tracking holiday travel in 2000, predicts Thanksgiving 2023 will be one of the busiest in the past 20 years.

The insurer projects more than 55 million travelers will trek 50 miles or more from their home during the week of Thanksgiving. This is an estimated increase of 2.3% over last year.

According to a press release, AAA has recorded an increase in travel overall throughout 2023. There is reason to believe that won't change over the holidays.

AAA predicts 49 million Americans will travel by car during Thanksgiving week while 4.7 million will fly. This would be the highest airline passenger total since 2005.

What Are The Best Times To Drive On Thanksgiving?

Given the potential increase of vehicles on the road, you might want to give some extra thought to your arrival and departure times before loading up the car.

AAA says the sores time to travel on Thanksgiving is between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Conditions are more favorable if you drive before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m.

If you're thinking of heading out the day before Thanksgiving, you will want to avoid the 2 to 6 p.m. window at all costs. AAA forecasts this as the absolute worst time to travel on the road throughout the entire week of Thanksgiving.