CLEVELAND — Mother Nature is throwing us a few surprises as we head into what is being called the busiest travel season of the year. Not only will there be more cars on the roads and planes in the air, but this year’s forecast also seems important.

Tuesday, nothing big. Snow in the Rocky Mountains, fueled by atmospheric flow on the West Coast and a splash of cooler air over the Upper Midwest/East Coast. Mostly quiet on the streets.

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This system will move eastward on Wednesday. Great day! Most of the journey will take place on Wednesday as showers from the mountains slide across the plains as showers. We expect late rain and snow, but most of the country will be able to travel the day before Thanksgiving.

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Things start to get interesting on Thanksgiving Day. The same storm drains energy and moisture from the East Coast.

There will be heavy rain and thunderstorms from Maine to Louisiana. It may even be cold enough to produce heavier snow far enough north in New England. Therefore, plan for delays on the ground and in the air.

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The pattern sticks from Friday to weekend. With the exception of the Great Lakes region, the entire country will be relatively calm. That is the focus. The coldest air we’ve seen moving over the warm waters of the Great Lake this season means the Lake Effect snow machine will be in operation. Plan for snow depths where the wind will be most consistent and squalls will persist. This may take until early next week!

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Check back often for updates and be sure to check with your local meteorologists for the most up-to-date snow depths and times.

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