Thanksgiving Travel Forecast

MADISON, Wis. (CIVIC MEDIA) – Whether you’re hitting the roads or taking flight, here’s some tips, tricks and times to avoid alongside weather delays.

It will be a busy week for holiday travelers. In Wisconsin, a record number of people are expected to fly or drive for Thanksgiving. AAA says nearly 1.6 million people in Wisconsin could be on the move, continuing an upwards trend since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The vast majority of those traveling will be driving, with over 1.4 million Wisconsin residents hitting the road. AAA says to give yourself extra time to travel and obey traffic laws to arrive at your destination safely.

As for the weather, lake effect snow will continue Tuesday in upper parts of Michigan. While Wednesday, a little snow maker slides south through Illinois, Indiana and into Ohio. Producing around 1-2″ accumulations. Roads will be slick, so expect some driving delays. Some of that snow could swipe southern areas of Wisconsin, with just a trace to accumulate.

A cold front blasts through the Midwest on Thanksgiving evening, sparking up a few more scattered snow showers and dragging temperatures even colder for the weekend. If driving, be sure to have an emergency winter weather kit in your car, including blankets.

Navigating airports can also be stressful, experts say give yourself a buffer day. Wherever you’re traveling, there’s a potential for storms and weather delays, which can cause cancellations. Active weather will be ongoing in the Ohio Valley Thursday and moving to the east coast on Friday. Behind that, cold air sinks in activating lake effect snow on the southeast sides of the Great Lakes.

If you’re still considering a last-minute holiday getaway, there may still be some good flight deals out there, usually midweek. Experts suggest to book directly through the airline. Because third party platforms are more likely to automatically book travelers onto flights with super tight connection times. They also say to opt for the first flight of the day. Because any delays or cancellations will roll on throughout the day.

If you have kids, book flights around nap times to make travel easier on you.