Coast-to-coast winter storm packing heavy snow to wreak havoc on Thanksgiving holiday travel

Millions of Americans across the United States have begun packing the roads and airports ahead of Thanksgiving, but a powerful storm moving from coast to coast could snarl travel before the holiday and as people begin their journeys home after feasting with family and friends.

The first half of the busy Thanksgiving travel week includes storms dumping rain and mountain snow in the West, while the eastern half of the country has rain, freezing rain and snow.

If that wasn’t enough to dampen the holiday spirit, the FOX Forecast Center is tracking another winter storm that could affect travel in the Northeast as millions of people prepare to head home.

The FOX Forecast Center said the last of a series of low pressure systems is moving across the West Coast and into the Rockies, bringing wintry weather and rain to the region.

A significant winter storm will bring heavy snow to parts of Colorado and Utah.

Winter storm warnings are in effect across the region in anticipation of snow totals that could reach 3 feet in the highest elevations, making travel extremely difficult, if not impossible, over mountain passes.

On Wednesday, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and Denver could all see some form of precipitation.

However, the FOX Forecast Center does not expect any major impacts in Denver at this time.

A winter weather advisory covers the Mile High City for varying snowfall totals of up to 2 to 4 inches in spots Wednesday morning, potentially snarling the morning commute.

Conditions could worsen on major highways like Interstate 25 and Interstate 70 before the system moves out of the region before Thanksgiving Day.

Winds dropped temperatures into the 20s across the Great Lakes. Some snow is possible on Thanksgiving in places like northern and central Wisconsin.

The winter storm is intensifying in the east just in time for last minute Thanksgiving travel

As if the pre-Thanksgiving travel woes weren’t enough, the FOX Forecast Center is tracking another Thanksgiving Day winter storm expected to delay last-minute holiday travel, as well as for those shopping on Black Friday or starting their journeys back home.

It’s all due to the winter storm that’s blasting the West. Wednesday’s weather across the East looks calm, but by Thursday the system will move through the Midwest and Ohio Valley and into the Northeast.

The FOX Forecast Center expects a line of showers and thunderstorms to move through the Southeast and Tennessee Valley on Thursday.

Some of these storms can become severe with damaging wind gusts.

To the north, heavier rain is likely over parts of the mid-Atlantic and northeast Thursday evening.

The FOX Forecast Center said the system will strengthen as it approaches the region, and winds may also begin to kick up and cause delays at airports in Washington, Baltimore, New York City and Philadelphia.

Snow will break out from the Midwest to New England north of the low pressure system.

Cold air will initially be limited as the system exits the Midwest, but as the low strengthens, it will pull colder air in from Canada.

The FOX Forecast Center said snow is expected to be light except for parts of the interior Northeast.

That’s where heavier snow could pile up across the region, especially over the higher elevations.

Upstate New York, the Green Mountains of Vermont and the White Mountains of New Hampshire are all likely to see snow as the low tracks offshore through Thursday night.

New York cities such as Syracuse, Buffalo and Binghamton are also likely to see some accumulating snow.

And if heavy snow and storms weren’t enough to ruin the holiday, some of the coldest air of the season will infiltrate the United States starting on Thanksgiving and lasting into early next month.

As the Thanksgiving Day winter storm exits the Northeast, it will draw in even colder, arctic air from Canada, and it will stretch south, potentially as far as the southeast.

On Friday, over 230 million Americans will shiver in below-average temperatures.