Dec. 19 – Great Lakes winter storm and holiday travel
With a?record number of people?expected to travel in the United States this holiday season, forecasters are watching for the potential of wintry weather starting?Thursday,?particularly in the Midwest and Northeast.
What’s happened so far? An?Alberta Clipper storm system?with the?potential to produce widespread snow?is forecast to?move into the Great Lakes region?on Thursday, with impacts expected in?Minnesota,?Wisconsin?and Michigan. Additionally, the?National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center?warned that a fresh blast of arctic air could chill parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic beginning Friday. On the West Coast, there is the potential for significant rainfall?along the coast of Northern California?as a series of atmospheric rivers pushes eastward.
The impact? Wet and wintry weather could create slippery road conditions in a period already associated with an?increased risk for serious car crashes. Inclement weather, the?No. 1 cause of air traffic delays?across the United States, could also lead to flight delays or cancellations.?Projections from AAA?show a record 119.3 million people are likely to cross a significant distance domestically in the period beginning Saturday through Jan. 1. Of those, more than 90 percent — or 107 million people — are expected to travel by car, while 7.85 million others are expected to reach their holiday destinations by air.
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