New Storm Threat Emerges Ahead Of Holiday Week: See VA Forecast

VIRGINIA — An approaching storm system could complicate conditions at highways and airports in Virginia, which are expected to be congested with projections for record travel over Thanksgiving weekend, the busiest travel holiday of the year.

The Northeast and mid-Atlantic states face chances for widespread rain and pockets of snow in the typically cooler spots in the East next week progresses, AccuWeather forecasters said.

"A less intense storm would move quickly off the Carolina coast and would bring less intense rain and snow to parts of the Southeast and mid-Atlantic," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Emma Belscher.

Regardless of what track the storm takes, Thanksgiving will likely be a cloudy, rain day for some across the eastern half of the country. A slower-moving, more intense storm could lead to more impacts following the Thanksgiving holiday into the weekend.

The National Weather Service predicts the Baltimore-DC region will see perfect travel conditions next Tuesday and Wednesday with mostly clear skies and highs in the low 60s and low 50s. By Thanksgiving Day, Northern Virginia faces a 40 percent chance of showers with high temperatures in the upper 40s.

"A new storm packing the potential for accumulating snow is set to take shape across the eastern half of the nation on Thanksgiving and Black Friday that could result in widespread disruptions for travel and holiday festivities," AccuWeather warned in an update Friday.

Even if the cold air out of Canada is slow to advance southward as far as the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic region, any drenching rain accompanied by blustery winds that may impact the region could still prove challenging for Thanksgiving Day parades and those heading driving to family dinner.

Depending upon how the storm takes shape, winds spanning from the Tennessee Valley to the Virginia coastline could gust upwards of 20 mph later next week. That will cause problems for New York City or Philadelphia, which host major parades with large balloons, AccuWeather said.

Travel Outlook For Highways, Airports

AAA said Monday that about 80 million people will travel 50 miles or more from their homes over the Thanksgiving travel period. This year, AAA expanded the Nov. 26 to Dec. 2 travel period by an additional two days to better capture the flow of holiday travelers. Thanksgiving is on Thursday, Nov. 28.

This year, 1.7 million more people are expected to travel for Thanksgiving than in 2023. AAA expects travel to be up across the board, from driving to flying to cruising.

An estimated 2.07 million Virginians will travel during the Thanksgiving holiday period, AAA predicted. That would be up from the 2.03 million Virginians who traveled during the same holiday period in 2023 and above the pre-pandemic level of 2.05 million in 2019.

Nationally, about 72 million people plan to drive. Gas prices are lower this Thanksgiving season compared to 2023, when the national average for regular gas was $3.26 a gallon. As of Thursday, Virginia motorists were paying an average of $2.98 for a gallon of regular gas, according to AAA. The average in Northern Virginia alone is $3.08.

Falling oil prices could push the national average below $3 a gallon for the first time since 2021, and that could happen before the travel period starts, AAA said. The national average stands at $3.06 as of Thursday.

When To Avoid DC Metropolitan Area

The auto club’s transportation data partner, INRIX, suggests staying away from certain metropolitan areas when traffic is the heaviest, including Washington, D.C., to Annapolis, Maryland.

According to the INRIX analysis, D.C. area travelers should avoid eastbound U.S. Route 50 from Washington, DC to Annapolis at 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 26, when the travel time will be one hour and 31 minutes. Traffic is expected to be about 120 percent higher than normal.

The Virginia Department of Transportation expects the heaviest congestion from mid-morning to evening on Tuesday, Nov. 26, all day on Wednesday, Nov. 27 and all day on Sunday, Dec. 1. Pockets of congestion are also expected Saturday, Nov. 30 around shopping destinations. A Thanksgiving travel trends map shows projected congestion on Virginia's major routes based on historic data.

VDOT will lift most lane closures on Virginia's interstates and other major roads from noon Wednesday, Nov. 27 to noon on Monday, Dec. 2, with the exception of semi-permanent work zones. Drivers can find real-time traffic data using Virginia 511. Schedules for the reversible I-95 and I-395 Express Lanes are now available.

The best and worst times to travel over the holiday period are (all times local):

• Monday, Nov. 25: 1-5 p.m., worst travel time; before 11 a.m. best travel time
• Tuesday, Nov. 26: 1-7 p.m., worst travel time; before 10 a.m., best travel time
• Wednesday, Nov. 27: 1-5 p.m., worst travel time; before 10 a.m., best travel time
• Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28: Minimal traffic impact expected
• Friday, Nov 29: 7-10 a.m., worst travel time; after 1 p.m. best travel time
• Saturday, Nov. 30: 4-8 p.m., worst travel time; before 1 p.m., best travel time
• Sunday, Dec. 1: noon-6 p.m., worst travel time; before 1 p.m., best travel time
• Monday, Dec. 2: 9 a.m.-6 p.m., worst travel time; before 8 a.m. after 7 p.m., best travel times

Flying Out Of Dulles International Airport or Reagan National Airport?

Air travel is expected to set records this year, with about 5.84 million people flying domestically for the holiday, an increase of percent compared to last year and 11 percent over 2019.

• Related: Thanksgiving To Go: Here's What Foods You Can Take On An Airplane

People who are flying out of or expecting guests to fly into Dulles or Reagan National should prepare for long lines. A separate report, Hopper’s 2024 Thanksgiving Outlook & Busiest Airports, said the busiest day for air travel will be Sunday, Dec. 1 while the least busy day will be Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday on Nov. 29, and Tuesday, Dec. 3.

Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport are not in the top 10 of busiest airports in the country. Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth and Denver lead the busiest airports list, according to Hopper’s analysis.

It’s a good idea to check a flight-tracking service such as FlightAware to see if flights are running on time before leaving for the airport.

The forecast also noted a 23 percent increase in international flight bookings, compared to last year, in part because the cost to fly internationally is down 5 percent. On domestic flights, travelers are paying about 3 percent more.