Traveling for Christmas? We’ve got your city-by-city holiday forecast.
Nearly a third of the U.S. population - 115 million Americans - is expected to travel 50 miles or more for the holidays. That’s according to AAA, which is predicting the second-busiest holiday travel season since it began keeping track in 2000. That includes 7.5 million flying and at least 105 million traveling by road.
It goes without saying that the weather will be an important consideration for those traveling for the holidays. Any disruptions in scheduling can lead to cascading flight delays, while messy weather also can make highways dangerous and grind traffic to a halt.
At least two systems bear watching between Friday and Sunday, particularly over the Four Corners (where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona connect) and the central states, affecting major hubs such as Denver, Dallas, Minneapolis, the Kansas City area and Chicago.
Tracking the two storms
Both storms will develop near or just east of the Rockies between Friday and Sunday, maturing as they roll east through the Plains, Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. The former will be an appetizer of sorts, but the latter looks to generate more of an impact.
Storm 1
Our first system will draw from limited moisture as it progresses east through the Great Plains on Thursday night, meaning rainfall totals won’t be significant and the risk of flight delays will be low.
Showers are expected in Dallas, Oklahoma City and Wichita on Thursday night into Friday. Houston and Kansas City also probably will see some light rain Friday morning. Then the system shifts toward Chicago with just a damp, dreary Friday but little else in the way of overall impact.
But then comes a more potent storm …
Storm 2
Storm 2 is already battering California. It’s a zone of high-altitude cold air, low pressure and spin just off the Pacific Coast. It’s slinging a tongue of rich moisture inland, contributing to heavy rain and several feet of mountain snow above 8,000 feet elevation.
It’s set to move ashore Friday and head toward the Four Corners on Friday night, causing snow in the mountains and rain showers in the lowlands. Then it ejects onto the Plains on Saturday, although heavy rains might extend all the way down to the Gulf Coast. Houston and New Orleans should get wet, too.
Into Sunday, rain will spread over the Deep South, the Ozarks, Upper Midwest and western Great Lakes. By Christmas Day, the rain probably will reach the Tennessee Valley before soaking the East Coast on Tuesday into Wednesday.
City-by-city forecast Friday through Sunday
Where precipitation could cause some delays
Chicago: Showers likely Friday, with isolated showers Saturday. Dreary with some afternoon showers into Sunday. Highs in the mid-40s on Friday, near 50 on Saturday, and mid-50s on Sunday.
Dallas: Highs in the upper 60s on Friday and Saturday, and near 60 on Sunday. Scattered showers, becoming more widespread Sunday.
Denver: Temperatures plummet. Highs reach the upper 50s to near 60 on Friday, 50 on Saturday and only mid-30s on Sunday. Mostly sunny skies Friday, a chance of rain late Saturday and snow likely Sunday.
Detroit: Highs in the lower 40s on Friday, mid-40s on Saturday and upper 40s on Sunday. Numerous scattered showers Friday night through Saturday. Cloudy on Sunday.
Houston: Scattered showers all three days; highs on either side of 70 degrees.
Kansas City: Upper 50s for highs. A chance of rain on Friday, with a gap on Saturday featuring some sunshine. A second system with more moisture and rainfall arrives Sunday.
Los Angeles: Rain on Friday. Only a few scattered showers Saturday, with mostly sunny skies Sunday. Highs in the mid-60s each day.
Minneapolis: Highs in the mid-40s on Friday, near 50 on Saturday and in the mid-50s on Sunday. Isolated showers early Friday, with mostly cloudy skies but some bright spots Saturday. Growing chance of rain on Sunday.
Oklahoma City: Highs in the mid-60s each day. A few isolated showers Saturday afternoon, with rainfall likely overnight before tapering off to more-scattered showers Sunday.
Phoenix: Off-and-on showers Friday with breezy conditions and mid-60s for highs. Scattered showers likely Saturday in the mid-60s, tapering off to only a few isolated morning showers Sunday.
Portland, Ore.: Highs in the upper 40s on Friday, with mid-40s on Saturday and Sunday. Rain on Friday, leaving late in the overnight. Lingering moisture may lead to some morning fog Saturday. A slight chance of rain/snow Sunday, with snow levels around 1,000 feet of elevation.
Seattle: Highs in the mid-40s each day. Rain likely on Friday, with only isolated showers Saturday and a chance of rain Sunday.
Where to expect few to no travel disruptions
Atlanta: Highs reach either side of 60 degrees all three days. Partial sunshine.
Boston: Sunny with highs in the 30s on Friday. Forties on Saturday and Sunday. Overnight lows in the 20s on Friday night, with lows just below freezing Saturday night.
Cleveland: Highs in the mid-40s on Friday and Saturday, and around 50 on Sunday. Scattered showers Friday night into Saturday.
Miami: Highs in the mid-70s each day. A few clouds Friday, with a low-end shower chance Saturday. Brighter and blustery Sunday with easterly gusts as high as 25 mph.
Nashville: Highs near 60 on Friday and Saturday, with mid-60s on Sunday. Isolated showers on both weekend days.
New York City: Sunny with a gradual warm-up. Highs in the upper 30s on Friday, mid-40s on Saturday and upper 40s on Sunday.
Philadelphia: Bright, blue and beautiful. Highs near 40 on Friday, with increasing clouds over the weekend; mid-40s on Saturday, with upper 40s on Sunday.
San Francisco: Sunny each day with highs in the upper 50s or lower 60s.
Washington, D.C.: Sunny Friday followed by increasing clouds. Highs in the upper 40s on Friday and Saturday, with mid-50s on Sunday.