Archive · 28 Nov 2025
Blizzard conditions to impact Thanksgiving travel in US
A big winter storm is happening in the US just in time for Thanksgiving.
It's bringing lots of snow and strong winds, especially around the Great Lakes and the Midwest.
This means traveling might be really hard because roads could be covered in snow and hard to drive on.
Some places might get more than a foot of snow!
It's also going to be much colder than usual, feeling more like January.
In the western part of the country, like Washington and Oregon, there might be some rain and snow in the mountains.
All of this weather trouble is expected to last from Thanksgiving Day until early Saturday.
Heavy lake effect snow and gusty winds, including blizzard conditions, will continue into Thanksgiving Day across the Great Lakes.
Temperatures will drop significantly, feeling 5 to 15 degrees below the late November average.
Heavy snow is expected in the Midwest and northern Plains, with some areas receiving 6 to 12 inches of accumulation.
Travel will be severely affected from now into early Saturday, with some roads potentially becoming impassable.
A low-pressure system will bring rain to the windward terrain of Washington and Oregon, and snow to the higher elevations of the Cascades, Idaho, and Montana.
- Who
- Millions of Americans traveling for Thanksgiving
- What
- Blizzard conditions and heavy snow affecting travel
- When
- Thanksgiving Day through early Saturday
- Where
- Great Lakes, Midwest, Northern Plains, Washington, Oregon, and higher elevations of Cascades, Idaho, and Montana
- Why
- Arctic air from Canada meeting with shortwave energy, causing a major winter storm
- Affected Regions
- Great Lakes, Midwest, Northern Plains, Washington, Oregon, Cascades, Idaho, Montana
- Weather Conditions
- Heavy lake effect snow, gusty winds, blizzard conditions, cold temperatures
- Snow Accumulation
- Up to a foot in some areas, 6-12 inches in northern Plains
- Travel Impact
- Severe disruptions expected, roads may become impassable
- Temperature Drop
- 5 to 15 degrees below late November average
- Wind Gusts
- 25-30 mph in New York
- Rainfall in West
- A couple inches in windward terrain of Washington and Oregon
