NEW YORK – Millions of Americans are preparing for a holiday trip, but bad weather could put a damper on their holiday plans.

While major storms are not expected to completely disrupt holiday travel, rain and winter weather are likely to slow things down, particularly in the eastern United States. Nearly 120 million people are expected to travel this year, a record number for the holiday season. AAA says it’s crucial to plan ahead and be flexible. Travelers should be prepared for possible delays on roads and at major airports.

Snow and ice led to a ground stop being imposed at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Friday morning, disrupting departures and arrivals at the busy hub.

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Unpack your Christmas Day forecast

The FOX Forecast Center is tracking all things naughty and lovely as Christmas week begins on Monday, but what’s the forecast for Santa’s journey through the Lower 48 on Christmas Eve, and what can you expect when you open presents on Christmas Day?

Areas experiencing unsightly weather on Tuesday and Wednesday include the West, where incessant rain and snow showers will hit states from Washington to California. This could make holiday travel difficult for many, particularly if they are on higher terrain roads.

Places that see a better forecast for the big day include most areas in the central and eastern United States. While areas like Atlanta and Chicago may expect light rain and snow on Christmas Day, last-minute travel isn’t expected to be significantly affected. The calmer weather should allow for a smoother travel day on Wednesday.

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Constant rain, snow up to the west coast

The FOX Forecast Center is tracking a line of storms moving into the West and Northwest early in the weekend. While these will generally be weak to moderate events, the extended period of windy and generally unsettled conditions will continue into the holiday week.

The risk of flooding appears to remain low through the start of the weekend, but that will change by Monday.

For portions of the West Coast from San Francisco to Seattle, moderate to even heavy rainfall could result in a slight risk of flash flooding starting next week. Parts of Northern California and the Oregon coast could see up to 6 inches of rain through Tuesday.

Snow depths will remain generally high during this event, so the majority of significant snow will be limited to portions of the Cascade Mountains, northern Sierra Mountains and northern Rocky Mountains. Meters of mountain snow are likely.

There will be more heavy rain and snow in the mountains again on Christmas Day, which will most likely cause travel issues for people traveling back and forth to holiday events.

A snow surprise in the northeast?

After nearly a foot of snow fell in parts of the Upper Midwest on Thursday, all eyes are on the Northeast, particularly the Interstate 95 corridor, where snow could be possible. The FOX Forecast Center said this is possible, depending on the exact environmental conditions when the system arrives.

Snowfall is expected to begin Friday afternoon along the I-95 corridor and continue into the overnight hours. If everything goes right, there could be an inch or two of snow from New York City to Boston.

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However, the FOX Forecast Center said some models show a very different result, with a paltry coating of up to an inch in most areas. This outcome would have a much smaller impact on traffic through busy airports and roads in the Northeast.

A weak storm system will bring rain and snow to the Northeast on Christmas Eve, potentially affecting areas along I-95. The FOX Forecast Center said the details of this disruption are still developing.

The coldest air in nearly two years is heading northeast

With the FOX Forecast Center seeing the potential for snow across the Northeast on Friday, the ensuing Arctic plunge may be felt most clearly as you head out for some last-minute weekend shopping.

Temperatures will begin to drop on Saturday, but will be mostly felt Sunday morning into Monday as the air is some of the coldest the Northeast has seen in nearly two years.

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Northerly winds are bringing cold temperatures as early as Friday evening, and over 200 million Americans are waking up to below-average temperatures as the weekend begins.

Highs on Saturday are expected to reach the 20s and 30s. However, by Sunday morning, low temperatures will drop into the teens and even single digits across the interior portions of the Northeast.

When wind gusts of up to 30 miles per hour are taken into account, it will feel more like single digits or even below zero degrees in areas like Boston and Syracuse, New York.

This cold continues into Monday, the start of the holiday week, with many waking up to single digits. Monday morning could easily go down in history as the coldest start since February 2023.

Fortunately, the cold will be short-lived and the warmth gripping most of the country will spread to the Northeast by Thursday.

Warming up for the end of the year on the go

From freezing cold to strangely mild weather, the FOX Forecast Center is watching end-of-year warming that will impact hundreds of millions of people toward the end of 2024.

Forecast models suggest that a fairly strong and intense Pacific jet stream could develop over the middle of the Pacific Ocean around Christmas. This can have many effects on the weather in the USA

Typically, this not only results in a warmer than average air mass for the Lower 48, but it can also result in a more active storm track.

The Climate Prediction Center’s expanded temperature and precipitation outlook makes this clear, showing all of the Lower 48 above average for the week after Christmas and almost all of it – except the southern portions of the Southwest – above average.

High temperatures are expected to be 10 to 20 degrees above average, with potentially over 200 million people feeling the heat by early 2025.