“Arctic Blast” May Impact Holiday Travel For Many

Newsweek reports:

An Arctic blast is set to plunge much of the U.S. into a deep freeze over the holidays, with wind chill in some regions dropping as a low as – 40 degrees F.

The cold air will arrive in the Midwest and northern Plains by Thanksgiving, dropping the mercury below zero, before moving into the South and East through the holiday weekend, according to the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS).

Wind chills in North Dakota will be as low as -40F. NWS warns that many Americans will be at risk of frostbite and hypothermia in such temperatures and urge anyone traveling to carry a winter survival kit. Heavy snow storms are also expected east of Great Lakes.

Yahoo News reports:

The National Weather Service has issued a series of winter weather advisories across the country as an estimated 80 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from their homes to celebrate Thanksgiving later this week.

Multiple states have been issued warnings about incoming storms that could potentially affect road and air travel. Heavy snow is expected to fall over parts of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Great Lakes and Central Rockies while some midwestern areas will also experience below-average temperatures.

One storm that’s reaching Northern California today is expected to bring heavy snow and rain to the East Coast later this week — likely hitting New York City during the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The New York Times reports:

It’s important to check the weather forecast along your entire route and to stay off the roads if rain or snow makes travel too dangerous, Aixa Diaz, a spokeswoman for AAA, advised.

If your flight is significantly changed, delayed or canceled, the Department of Transportation’s new rule, which went into effect last month, now entitles you to a refund from your airline.

As the week progresses, weather in the Midwest and East Coast is expected to worsen. By late Wednesday, a storm system will establish over Tennessee, likely strengthening as it moves east into Thanksgiving Day.

NYC may get a bit of sleet but snow is not expected. But how would the parade balloons fare?