Tis’ the season for millions of us to travel "over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house" this holiday season, and an active weather pattern could complicate travel plans across the United States. A series of potent storms is expected to hammer the West Coast through Christmas Day while precipitation in the Central and Eastern states will also contribute to travel woes. Whether by car or plane, travelers should brace for delays and hazardous conditions on their way to holiday celebrations.
❄️ SNOWY TRAVEL: A winter storm has left I-80 near Snow Shoe, Pennsylvania, blanketed in snow and ice, creating hazardous driving conditions. https://t.co/C2q5KQjdgy pic.twitter.com/PXR2Yzlmyt
— FOX Weather (@foxweather) December 20, 2024
Farther to the east, the combination of a clipper storm and Arctic air will lead to slippery travel and even snow-covered roads for a time from parts of the Great Lakes to the coastal Northeast into Saturday evening. Even as the snow, wind and related travel delays diminish early in the weekend, the cold air will linger and may set the stage for more wintry trouble next week.
A storm will push across the northern Plains with spotty snow near and north of its track. As that storm reaches the Mississippi Valley by early next week, a moisture flow will cause precipitation to become widespread and significant.
CHRISTMAS EVE STORMS: As a weak front scoots across the state ahead of Santa's arrival, a lot of the state will be in for some soaking rain, a couple storms, and a VERY isolated chance for strong wind.
— Max Crawford 👍 (@KBTXMax) December 21, 2024
For most, scattered showers will give way to some rumbles throughout the day. pic.twitter.com/CNLD06BcQi
Areas of rain and fog with embedded thunderstorms are in store from northeastern Texas to the mid-Mississippi Valley and the Ohio Valley states on Monday. The rain, patchy fog and spotty thunderstorms will shift eastward across the central Gulf coast, Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians on Monday night and the day before Christmas. A batch of rain and thunderstorms may survive the trip to the southern Atlantic coast by Christmas Day.
Christmas Day will feature green and brown grass for much of the U.S. - not exactly what Bing Crosby crooned about! But in northern areas and western elevations, snow already on the ground (or expected to fall) is promising a quintessential white Christmas.… pic.twitter.com/NzYNJUurz0
— National Weather Service (@NWS) December 20, 2024
The trouble spots this weekend and Christmas Day? Look for inclement weather across the West and the Southern Plains, while some of the coldest air of the season briefly slides across parts of the eastern US.
About 3-6 inches of snow fell across eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut.
Snow in nyc @NWSNewYorkNY @nynjpaweather @AWxNYC @BradyBGWX @StormTeam4NY @ABC7NY pic.twitter.com/vvH8kAZBz3
— Weathermaster2 (@WeatherMaster34) December 21, 2024
A plume of moisture may remain over the lower Mississippi and Ohio valleys on Christmas Day as one of the storms moves offshore over the Atlantic. The lingering moisture can lead to areas of rain, drizzle and fog over parts of the South Central states. And if a White Christmas is on your Christmas list this year, here's are some areas you can find the white wintery weather:
If you’re staying in Florida for the holidays, here’s generally what you can expect: a cold front pushed through the State early on Saturday so mainly dry conditions are expected state wide. The coldest weather will (of course) be in north Florida with parts of the state under a freeze warning tonight with some patchy frost expected by Sunday morning.
Central Florida can expect plenty of sunshine with unseasonably cooler temperatures through Sunday. A gradual warm up with start Monday and last into Christmas Day.
12/21 | Temperatures are currently in the low 40s to around 50°F with Wind Chill values in the low to mid 40s over east central Florida. Temperatures will increase into the upper 50s to mid 60s this afternoon which is about 5-10°F+ below normal for this time of year. (1/3) #FLwx pic.twitter.com/vNjviE5ZOD
— NWS Melbourne (@NWSMelbourne) December 21, 2024
If you’re headed to south Florida for the holidays, the forecast doesn’t get much better than this with a little bit of everything for everyone. Crisp mornings will be followed by cool but beautiful afternoons. As Christmas Day arrives, warmer weather will arrive too. Highs will rebound to the 70s on Christmas as last the rest of the holiday week.
A cool and dry day today with northerly flow keeping afternoon highs in the upper 60s to low 70s. Lows Sunday morning will drop into the mid 40s inland to low-mid 50s near the coasts. pic.twitter.com/pNkefkFa5V
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) December 21, 2024
For southwest Florida expect Southwest Florida to be slightly cooler than Southeast Florida, with highs in the 60s on Sunday afternoon. Sunday morning will be the coldest night for the region. Cities across Southwest Florida will wake up with temperatures around the mid-40s by sunrise. Boating conditions will be rough with seas reaching up to 7 feet.