RI Christmas Travel Forecast: What To Expect For The Holiday Weekend

RHODE ISLAND — If you are hitting the roads to go over the river and through the woods of New England this weekend — or to do some last-minute shopping — there is good news when it comes to a storm-free ride.

It's just not so good for those still holding out hope for a white Christmas.

While some Rhode Island cities and towns are still dealing with the aftermath of high winds and heavy rain earlier this week, there appears to be no more significant rain or snow ahead straight through Christmas Day. At most, there is a 25 percent chance of rain in Rhode Island on Christmas Eve, but it is not supposed to be significant.

It will be on the colder side to close out whatever is left of a work week on Friday, and then, temperatures are expected to gradually increase over the weekend until hitting the low 50s on Christmas Day.

It should be an easy drive with cloudy skies and highs in the low 40s on Saturday, and temperatures rising into the mid 40s on Christmas Eve.

Santa should have an easy time finding the homes of all the good boys and girls on Christmas Eve night despite some clouds, with no rain or snow in the forecast and temperatures not too cold for Rudolph and the gang out in front of the sleigh at about 32 degrees.

Christmas Day will be one of the warmer ones Rhode Island has seen in a while — about 20 degrees warmer than last year and far nicer than the treacherous ice of 2021. The NWS is calling for partly sunny skies and highs near 50 degrees.

For those who are making a return trip on Tuesday, it looks like you are in luck as well with a weather system holding off until very late in the day or at night with high temperatures once again near 50. According to the National Weather Service, there is a 50 percent chance of rain in Rhode Island on Tuesday night.

The Washington Bridge Closure's Effect On Travel

Yes, the weather is supposed to cooperate for smooth holiday travel in Rhode Island, but what about the traffic?

With the westbound side of the Washington Bridge on I-195 closed, there's sure to be an impact, whether you take one of the bridge's bypass lanes, a detour, or the ferry between Providence and Bristol.

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation has posted estimated travel times for each detour route on the Washington Bridge closure page. State officials said they will update this information continuously.

Have a news tip? Email jimmy.bentley@patch.com.