Christmas travel forecast: Potential problem areas

Christmas or Hanukkah travel is underway for millions, and the weather can be a factor. For some, snow, rain, even a little ice can disrupt your plans.

Here’s what you need to know to make the safest trip possible.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

• Northeast: Some light snow is expected to linger into Christmas Eve Tuesday. Most accumulations will generally be a few inches or less, possibly as far south as the New York City Tri-state and parts of southern New England. Some light freezing rain or drizzle is possible Christmas Eve morning across parts of the mid-Atlantic states from northern Virginia to southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey before temperatures warm above freezing during the day.
• south: Areas of showers and some t-storms are expected on Christmas Eve from eastern Texas to Missouri, then on Christmas Day from the lower Mississippi Valley to the Ohio Valley. We can’t rule out an isolated severe t-storm, but locally heavy downpours and wet roads appear to be the biggest travel problem there.
• West: Rain and mountain snow will spread across much of California, Oregon and Washington on Christmas Eve, although any precipitation in Southern California will remain light. Another windy, wet storm will move into the Pacific Northwest and Northwest California Christmas afternoon and Christmas night. Some localized flooding is possible with each storm, especially in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon.
• Potential airport weather delays: San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Washington, DC, Philly, NYC and Boston (Christmas Eve); Seattle, Salt Lake City, Houston and New Orleans (Christmas Day)

(MORE: Prediction for White Christmas 2024)

Thursday and Friday

• South, Midwest: Rain and thunderstorms will spread from the central and southern Plains on Thursday northward into the Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley and Great Lakes on Friday. Severe t-storms are possible in the south, but locally heavy downpours and wet roads appear to be the biggest travel concern in those areas.
• West: Lingering snow Thursday is expected in the Rockies from Idaho and Montana to Utah and Colorado. Late Thursday night into early Friday, another windy, wet Pacific storm will plow into Washington, Oregon and Northern California with rain and mountain snow. Another system will arrive in the Northwest late Friday night.
• Potential airport weather delays: Dallas, Houston and Seattle (Thursday); Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle (Friday)

This weekend

• East, Midwest: Rain in the Midwest and South on Saturday will spread to most of the East on Sunday. T-storms are possible in the south, but locally heavy downpours and wet roads appear to be the biggest travel concerns in those areas.
• West: Rain and mountain snow will continue from northern California, Oregon and Washington into parts of the Rockies. Flooding and landslides are most possible in northern California and southwestern Oregon.
• Potential airport weather delays: Chicago, New Orleans, Seattle and San Francisco (Saturday); Washington, Philadelphia, NYC, Boston, Charlotte, Orlando, Miami, Seattle and San Francisco (Sunday)

Jonathan Belles has been a graphic meteorologist and writer for weather.com for 8 years and also helps with the production of videos for The Weather Channel en español. His favorite weather is tropical weather, but he also enjoys covering severe weather and news and winter storms. He is a two-time graduate of Florida State University and a proud graduate of St. Petersburg College.