Rain forecast Tuesday into Wednesday when millions will travel for Thanksgiving holiday
The forecast calls for a picture-perfect Thanksgiving Day, but for Long Island travelers, getting to Thursday's destination could mean rain-related hassles on the roads and at airports.
The National Weather Service is projecting rain to begin after 1 p.m. Tuesday, with a 90% chance of rain Tuesday night into Wednesday, the busiest day of the holiday travel period, experts said. High temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday are expected in the 50s.
“Tuesday night into early Wednesday, a storm system is going to pass basically south of the area and bring some rain, maybe gusty winds, to the area,” said Jim Connolly, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton.
“Outside of that, we're expecting pretty much fair weather,” Connolly said.
This year, AAA said more than 55 million Americans are projected to head 50 miles or more from home to spend Thanksgiving with families and friends, the third-highest number of travelers since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000. Of that total, 49 million are expected to drive to their destinations.
INRIX, a transportation data company, recommends travelers leave Wednesday in the morning or after 6 p.m. to avoid the heaviest holiday congestion.
AAA expects 4.7 million people to fly during Thanksgiving weekend and noted Tuesday and Wednesday are the busiest air travel days ahead of the holiday, and the most expensive. While Sunday is typically the busiest day to return home, AAA data showed Monday has become a popular day to fly back after Thanksgiving.
For Thanksgiving Day itself, forecasters are predicting mostly sunny skies on Long Island, with a high temperature near 47 degrees.
Friday is expected to be mostly sunny with a high near 48 degrees. Rain may return Saturday with a 30% chance of precipitation, forecasters said.
Dandan Zou covers education for Newsday. Previously, she worked for a community newspaper in Maryland and a personal finance magazine in Washington, D.C.
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