Thanksgiving Travel Weather Forecast 2025

If you’ve ever tried to travel for Thanksgiving, you already know—it’s a little like trying to thread a needle during an earthquake. And this year? Mother Nature seems determined to shake things up twice.

Back-to-back winter storms, a messy mix of rain and thunderstorms in the South and East, and a grab-bag of wind, fog, and lake-effect snow are all lining up to challenge your holiday travel plans. Whether you're heading home by car, plane, or something in between, the weather is preparing to play gatekeeper.

Before you pack the car snacks or triple-check your boarding pass, here’s the full breakdown of what you can expect—day by day—across the country.

The Holiday Trouble Begins: Big Picture Overview

Thanksgiving week is already one of the busiest travel periods of the year, and unfortunately, the atmosphere didn’t get the memo about playing nice.

Two major winter storms—Winter Storm Alston and Winter Storm Bellamy—are taking turns carving their way through the northern U.S. And while cold air dominates the north, the South and East are getting the liquid version: rain, thunderstorms, gusty winds, and even pockets of flooding.

If you're traveling Saturday or Sunday—the prime “return home” days—consider yourself officially warned. Flight delays, road slowdowns, and weather-related headaches are highly likely.

Let’s break down the conditions day by day so you can plan for the smoothest journey possible.

🌧️ Wednesday: The Warm-Up Act (That Isn’t So Warm)

Major airports most affected:

Boston • Chicago • Minneapolis–St. Paul • New York City • Philadelphia • Washington, D.C.

Think of Wednesday as the appetizer course in a Thanksgiving feast—just enough to give a taste of what’s coming, but not nearly the main event.

Rain in the East

Showers—and even a rumble of thunder—may linger ahead of a cold front sweeping through the East. Timing is everything, and on this peak travel day, timing isn’t great. Expect delays at major Northeast airports, especially in New York and Boston.

Snow & Wind in the Great Lakes

Winter Storm Alston continues spinning across the upper Mississippi Valley, with heavy snow and gusty winds hitting areas such as:

Minnesota, including the Twin Cities

Wisconsin

Northern Michigan

Morning flights out of Minneapolis–St. Paul (MSP) could face issues, and commuting in the region may feel like navigating a snow globe that someone won’t stop shaking.

Light snow could even reach the Madison–Milwaukee corridor, turning roads slick as an oil spill on glass.

Blowing Snow & Whiteouts

As if the fresh snowfall weren’t enough, winds in the Dakotas and western Minnesota may whip snow into the air, creating blizzard-like conditions—even after snowfall subsides. Some roads may temporarily close.

Lake-Effect Machine Cranks Up

Heavy lake-effect snow belts from Michigan to upstate New York will get hammered Wednesday night into Thursday. Some areas may see near-zero visibility and downright dangerous travel.

Northwest Drizzles

Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest deals with scattered showers, with heavier rain possible in western Washington overnight.

❄️ Thanksgiving Day: A Side Dish of Snow and Wind

Major airports most affected:

Cleveland • Seattle

If you were hoping for calm weather on Thanksgiving itself, think again. The atmosphere seems fully committed to being the relative who brings up politics at dinner.

Lake-Effect Snow Intensifies

Narrow but intense lake-effect bands continue streaking across:

Northeast Ohio

Northwest Pennsylvania

Southwest and Upstate New York

Western Michigan

Highways like I-90 from Cleveland to Buffalo and I-81 near Syracuse may become treacherous. Whiteout conditions in these corridors can develop suddenly, turning a routine drive into an ice-slicked obstacle course.

Rain & Snow for the Northwest

Farther west, a new Pacific disturbance spreads showers and gusty winds across coastal Washington and Oregon, while the northern Rockies see new snow accumulations.

🛍️ Black Friday: Nature’s Not Done Yet

Major airports most affected:

Dallas–Fort Worth (late day) • Kansas City (late day)

Black Friday deals aren’t the only things piling up—snow, storms, and delays are lining up too.

Lake-Effect Snow Rolls On

Lake-effect snow continues, especially east of the Great Lakes. This could mean another day of difficult travel for Buffalo, Cleveland, Rochester, and the Michigan lake belts.

Winter Storm Bellamy Emerges

From Montana into the Dakotas and Missouri Valley, Bellamy begins spreading snow eastward. By Friday night, the upper Midwest—including Iowa, southern Wisconsin, and western Illinois—will see slick roads and fresh snow cover.

Storms Surge in the South

A round of showers and thunderstorms develops from:

Eastern Kansas

Western Missouri

Oklahoma

Arkansas

Texas

Western Louisiana

Late-night storms could delay flights at DFW and Kansas City.

❄️ Saturday: The Storms Sync Up

Major airports most affected:

Chicago • Minneapolis–St. Paul • Detroit • St. Louis • Dallas–Fort Worth • Houston • Kansas City

Saturday becomes the travel day where the atmosphere slaps down a “Proceed At Your Own Risk” sign.

Midwest Winter Mess

Winter Storm Bellamy delivers widespread snow across:

The upper Mississippi Valley

The Great Lakes

Chicago metro region

Significant delays are likely at Chicago-O’Hare—one of the busiest hubs in the country. Snowy, slippery roads stretch from Minnesota to Michigan, making road travel a challenge.

By Saturday night, this snow spreads into:

Ohio Valley

Eastern Great Lakes

South Under Siege

Thunderstorms with heavy rain—and possibly severe weather—shake the South from Texas to the Mississippi Valley. With saturated ground from earlier systems, flash flooding becomes more likely.

Dallas and Houston airports may experience weather-related slowdowns.

🌧️ Sunday: The Big Return Home Gets Complicated

Major airports most affected:

Atlanta • Boston • New York City • Philadelphia • Pittsburgh • Washington, D.C.

If you're traveling Sunday, prepare for delays—and lots of them.

Eastern Rain-Soaked Mess

Bellamy moves into the East, bringing widespread rain, especially along the I-95 corridor, including:

NYC

Philadelphia

DC

Boston

Even though most precipitation is rain—not snow—heavy, steady rain plus holiday traffic equals major delays.

Interior Northeast Snow

Farther inland, colder air supports snow, especially in upstate New York and parts of northern New England. Lake-effect snowbands may also linger, causing additional trouble near Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

Southeast Showers

From Virginia and the Carolinas down to the northern Gulf, passing showers and a few thunderstorms could slow travel.

Rockies Snow Arrives

A final punch of weekend snow affects Colorado, northern New Mexico, western Kansas, and the Texas Panhandle by Sunday night.

🧭 Final Tips For Travelers

Build extra time into your plans.

Check airline alerts frequently.

If driving, expect slick roads in the Midwest and whiteouts near the Great Lakes.

Southern travelers should prepare for thunderstorms and localized flooding.

This year, Thanksgiving travel is less of a peaceful holiday journey and more of a cross-country obstacle course crafted by the atmosphere itself. Pack patience, caution, and maybe a playlist that can outlast airport delays.

Safe travels—and may your turkey be warmer than the weather.

@followers #Thanksgiving2025 #WeatherUpdate