As Thanksgiving holiday travel picks up, many have already reached their destinations. However, for those still on the move, a storm tracking from the Rockies to the Midwest and Northeast through Thursday is expected to bring rain and snow, potentially disrupting flights and creating traffic delays on busy roads.
On Wednesday, nearly 3 million people were expected to pass through TSA screenings, while a record 71.7 million travelers were anticipated to hit the roads, marking an increase of over 1 million compared to last year.
The storm, which brought snow to the Rockies on Wednesday morning before easing in the afternoon, is forecast to move eastward, impacting the Midwest and Northeast as Thanksgiving approaches.
The storm will bring rain, along with the possibility of ice and snow, intensifying in the evening from St. Louis to Indianapolis and Pittsburgh.
Overnight, the storm will continue moving east, bringing cold rain along the I-95 corridor, from Richmond to Boston, during the early hours of Thanksgiving morning.
By Wednesday night, nearly 4,000 flights had been delayed and 45 canceled within, into, or out of the U.S., according to FlightAware.
American Airlines operated nearly 6,400 mainline and regional flights on Tuesday and expected over 650,000 passengers to travel on Wednesday across the same number of flights—almost 4.5 American flights departing every minute of the day.
A ground delay at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, caused by a shortage of air traffic controllers, was in effect Wednesday from 1 p.m. ET to 2 a.m. Thursday.
Newark saw more than 300 delays on Wednesday, with some lasting at least 95 minutes.
The FAA warned of expected delays in Denver and Salt Lake City on Wednesday afternoon due to snow and ice. Airport officials in both cities were deicing planes, with Denver leading the way with 600 flight delays.
Delays were also reported in Boston, Dallas, and Las Vegas, where some delays reached triple digits, according to FlightAware.
Fog in Tampa caused delays on Wednesday, with Tampa International Airport reporting 37 outbound delays, according to FlightAware. Seattle and Los Angeles also experienced delays, as low ceilings were expected to impact operations, the FAA noted earlier Wednesday.
For road travelers, rain affected I-80, I-64, and I-75, while snow disrupted travel on I-25 and I-70 through the Rockies.
Thanksgiving Day will bring heavy rain to the I-95 corridor from Florida to Maine, while the interior Northeast and New England will experience heavy snow.
Upstate New York and interior New England north of the Hudson Valley can expect 1 to 3 inches of wet snow, with localized totals possibly exceeding 6 inches in the highest mountain peaks.
From northeast Pennsylvania to New Hampshire, 3 to 6 inches of snow, and potentially more, are possible, with windy conditions raising the risk of power outages.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will proceed rain or shine, as New York City is forecast to see heavy rain and temperatures in the 40s. Winds are expected to stay below 10 mph, which will allow the parade’s iconic balloons to fly. If sustained winds exceed 23 mph or gusts reach 34 mph, the balloons will be grounded.
East Coast cities including Baltimore, Washington, D.C., New York, Hartford, and Boston can expect cold rain, with rainfall totals ranging from 0.5 to 1 inch. Road conditions will be slick from Virginia and Maryland through the I-95 corridor into Maine.
By Friday morning, conditions will return to normal as the storm moves out of New England, but cold winds and lake-effect snow around the Great Lakes will persist through the weekend.
Key airport hubs to watch on Thursday include Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo.
Sunday, traditionally the busiest travel day of Thanksgiving week as people head home from holiday trips, will see continued cold temperatures across much of the country, along with lake-effect snow around the Great Lakes and Northeast.
An estimated 3 million travelers are expected to pass through TSA on Sunday, approaching the record of 3.01 million set on the Sunday following the Fourth of July this year.
Chicago and Detroit may experience some travel disruptions at their airports, but the East and West Coast should see favorable conditions for both air and road travel.
Meanwhile, much of the northern Plains and upper Midwest will face bitter cold to end the week, with temperatures expected to be 10 to 20 degrees below average starting on Thanksgiving Day.
From Thursday to Sunday, Chicago will see highs in the 30s and 20s, with lows dipping into the teens. New York will experience highs in the 40s, with lows around 28°F. Washington, D.C., will have highs in the 50s and 40s, and lows in the 30s and high 20s. Minneapolis is expected to see lows in the single digits over the weekend.
As travelers take to the skies to reunite with loved ones, authorities are warning about vehicle thefts from airport parking lots.
Over 300 cars were stolen from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport this year, nearly three times as many as last year, according to Atlanta police. “Suspects can program key fobs to vehicles, and that has led to the increase in thefts,” said Maj. Kelley Collier, the airport precinct commander. To combat the issue, the airport is adding more cameras, motorcycle patrols, and new fencing across its 30,000 parking spaces.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport also reported more than 50 vehicles stolen this year, with a car theft ring targeting airports across multiple states. The alleged ringleader was arrested last month.
Katy, a traveler who returned to find her car stolen from Columbus International Airport, shared her disbelief: "We just assumed it was more safe and secure in that type of an environment." Her car was later found abandoned and stripped. "I’m hoping that the airports will beef up their security so that we can travel and come back and have your car there," she added.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com.
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