Thanksgiving travel forecast

The travel forecast for the Thanksgiving holiday locally is looking good, however the same can’t be said for other parts of the country.

WEDNESDAY

A clipper system will move from the Dakota’s into west-central Minnesota bringing some light snow and/or flurries. Any accumulations are expected to be light around a half inch to one inch and will be mainly confined to western Minnesota.

A stronger storm system will develop in the central and southern plains with a mountain snow likely in Colorado and rain showers likely across portions of the middle-to-lower Mississippi River Valley. The surface low will track into the Mid-Atlantic states and northeast U.S., and phase with the remnants of the clipper system leading to a strong storm into Thanksgiving on Thursday.

THANKSGIVING DAY

Rain and snow showers will be likely across portions of the northeast U.S. as the surface low pushes toward the coast. A trailing cold front will lead to showers and a few thunderstorms across the east coast and Gulf states.

Meanwhile, another system will slowly churn near Hudson Bay, wrapping around cold air and moisture with lake effect snow showers likely across portions of the Great Lakes states including northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Otherwise, high pressure will build into the northern U.S. with a some snow showers possible on the leading edge of the cold air across portions of Montana, Wyoming, and western North Dakota, and South Dakota.

FRIDAY

High pressure will be overhead across much of the county with dry and quiet weather. The remnants of the Hudson Bay low is expected to still churn over eastern Canada with lake effect snow showers across far northeast Minnesota, Michigan and portions of the northeast U.S..