Thanksgiving travel disruption forecast from coast to coast this week for nearly 80 million people

The holiday season is in full swing, and the FOX Forecast Center continues to monitor the Thanksgiving week forecast just as tens of thousands of people across the United States begin to travel and gather with friends and family.

A majority of Americans from coast to coast should arrive at their Thanksgiving destinations without too much trouble. However, this forecast changes for the end of the week, just as people prepare to head home after the festivities.

Nearly 80 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving, with peak days falling on the Tuesday and Wednesday before the holiday and the Sunday after.

West Coast braces for more rain, mountain snow ahead of Thanksgiving

The deadly multi-day atmospheric flooding event that hit parts of the West last week has come to an end. But the FOX Forecast Center continues to track the last of a series of low pressure systems approaching the West Coast that will bring more rain and snow to the region at the start of the busy Thanksgiving travel week.

Snow is expected to be limited to the higher elevations of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada, so travelers are encouraged to take precautions and take it slow when driving through the mountain passes across the region.

In the lower elevations, it will be all rain. The FOX Forecast Center says nearly the entire stretch of the Interstate 5 corridor from California through Oregon and Washington looks dreary as we start the week, but weather conditions will gradually improve each day.

Forecasters believe the highest rainfall amounts will be found in central California, with some locations potentially picking up 5 inches of rain or more. Flooding does not appear to be a major issue at this time, but travelers are likely to see some disruption on the roads and at airports such as Salt Lake City (SLC), Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO ).

The system should then go out in the Rockies, where there are still some questions about how it will develop. The storm could strengthen to a new low, increasing the chances of rain and snow across a large swath of the Rockies.

Cities like Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and Denver are all likely to see some form of precipitation by Wednesday. The snow falling in the mountains will likely be measured in feet, while the snow at lower elevations and the impact will be highly dependent on the exact track of the storm.

As of Sunday, the FOX Forecast Center does not expect major impacts in Denver.

Winter storm affects Thanksgiving travel in the Northeast

A storm system will also move out of the plains starting Sunday and quickly move into the Great Lakes region as we start the new week.

The FOX Forecast Center said that unlike previous systems, this one is not expected to be as strong.

The colder air will be held further north, limiting snow opportunities for the Great Lakes region. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is likely to see the highest amount of snow as the snow effect increases.

Cities like Chicago and Milwaukee will largely avoid the snow, but winds could start to pick up as the system pushes out of the region, leading to some delays at airports and on the roads.

The low will continue to strengthen as it moves into the Northeast later in the week, with rain breaking out on Tuesday that could slow travel times for those traveling before Thanksgiving.

Some snow is likely along Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, but rain will be the main impact.

Rain is expected to affect travel along the Interstate 95 corridor on the East Coast, and due to low visibility and increasing winds, all major airports are likely to experience disruptions.

A cold front is also expected to sweep across the southeast, bringing a series of showers and thunderstorms to the region through Wednesday morning. Severe weather is not expected, but periods of rain may lead to delays in Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Frigid temperatures to invade US after Thanksgiving

A larger, more powerful winter storm is then expected to sweep into the Northeast and New England on Thanksgiving Day and last through the weekend. This storm will likely have a greater impact on travel as people begin their journeys home after Thanksgiving.

More rain is expected along the I-95 corridor, but there is growing concern that heavy snow could blast the interior areas of the region.

The Blast FOX Forecast Center expects some of the coldest air of the season to invade the United States from Canada in the days after Thanksgiving and into early December.

Below-average temperatures are expected across a large swath of the US, with parts of the northern plains expected to drop perhaps as low as -10 degrees.