Snow from winter storms to wreak havoc on millions as the holiday season gets underway

NEW YORK – Millions of Americans are gearing up for Christmas travel, but bad weather can put a damper on their festive plans.

While no major storms are expected to completely disrupt holiday travel, rounds of rain and wintry weather are expected to slow things down, especially in the eastern United States. With nearly 120 million people expected to travel this year — a record number of people for the Christmas period, according to AAA — it’s crucial to plan ahead and be flexible. Travelers should be prepared for potential delays on roads and at major airports.

Snow and ice led to a ground stop being issued at Chicago O’Hare International Airport Friday morning, halting departures and arrivals at the busy travel hub.

MOST WEATHER-DELAYED AIRPORTS DURING HOLIDAYS

Unpacking your Christmas Day forecast

The FOX Forecast Center is tracking all the naughty and nice as we head into Christmas week on Monday, but what does the weather forecast look like following Santa’s trail across the Lower 48 Christmas Eve and what can you expect when you open presents on Christmas Day?

Areas experiencing some nasty weather Tuesday and Wednesday include the West as relentless rounds of rain and snow pound from Washington to California. This can make holiday travel difficult for many, especially when driving on higher ground roads.

Places where the weather forecast for the big day is better is most of the central and eastern United States. While light rain and snow appear possible for areas like Atlanta and Chicago on Christmas Day, any last-minute travel should not be significantly affected. The calmer weather should allow for a smoother travel day on Wednesday.

CHRISTMAS TRAVEL TRACKER: LIVE MAPS, AIRPORT STATUS, DELAYS, FORECASTS AND MORE

Rounds of rain, snow to smash the West Coast

The FOX Forecast Center is tracking a number of storms moving into the west and northwest at the start of the weekend. While generally weak to moderate events, the extended period of windy and generally unsettled conditions will remain through the holiday week.

The risk of flooding looks set to remain low into the start of the weekend, but that will change on Monday.

For parts of the West Coast from San Francisco to Seattle, moderate to even heavy rain could result in a low risk of flooding starting next week. Through Tuesday, parts of Northern California and coastal Oregon could see up to 6 inches of rain.

Snow levels will generally remain high for this event, so most of the significant snow will be confined to parts of the Cascade Mountains, northern Sierra Mountains, and northern Rockies. Feet of mountain snow is likely.

Another heavier round of rain and mountain snow arrives on Christmas Day, which will most likely cause travel issues for people heading to and from holiday gatherings.

A northeast snow surprise?

After nearly a foot of snowfall fell in parts of the Upper Midwest Thursday, all eyes are on the Northeast, especially the Interstate 95 corridor, for potential snow. The FOX Forecast Center said that is possible, depending on the exact environmental conditions when the system arrives.

Snow is likely to begin falling along the I-95 corridor Friday afternoon and continue through the night. If things line up properly, there could be an inch or 2 of snow from New York City to Boston.

HOW TO SEE FOX WEATHER

However, the FOX Forecast Center said some models show a very different result, with a paltry coating to an inch in most areas. This outcome would have much less impact on travel across busy North East airports and roads.

A weak storm system will bring rain and snow to the Northeast Christmas Eve, potentially affecting areas along I-95. The FOX Forecast Center said the details of this disruption are still evolving.

The coldest air in almost 2 years heading northeast

While the FOX Forecast Center sees the potential for snow across the Northeast on Friday, the arctic plunge that follows may be most noticeable if you’re heading out for some last-minute shopping this weekend.

Temperatures will begin to drop on Saturday, but will be felt heavily Sunday morning into Monday with some of the coldest air the Northeast has seen in nearly two years.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE FOX WEATHER APP

Northerly winds begin to usher in the cold as early as Friday night, with over 200 million Americans waking up to below-average temperatures at the start of the weekend.

Highs on Saturday are expected to reach the 20s and 30s. But Sunday morning, low temperatures will drop into the teens and even single digits for interior parts of the Northeast.

When gusts up to 30 mph are factored in, it will feel more like single digits or even minus in areas like Boston and Syracuse, New York.

This cold continues into Monday, also the start of the holiday week, when many wake up in the single digits. Monday morning could easily go down as the coldest start since February 2023.

Fortunately, the cold is short-lived and the heat engulfing most of the country moves into the Northeast on Thursday.

Heating at the end of the year on the way

From chilly cold to strangely mild, the FOX Forecast Center is monitoring a year-end warming that will affect hundreds of millions as we close out 2024.

Forecast models suggest that a fairly strong and intense Pacific jet stream may develop around Christmas over the mid-Pacific. This could have many consequences for the weather in the United States

Typically, this not only results in a warmer than average air mass for the Lower 48, but it can also result in a more active storm track.

The Climate Prediction Center’s extended temperature and precipitation outlook highlights this well, showing all of the Lower 48 above average for the week after Christmas, and nearly all—except the southern parts of the Southwest—above average for precipitation.

High temperatures are expected to rise 10-20 degrees above average, with potentially over 200 million feeling the heat by early 2025.