As many Twin Cities residents prepare to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, they’ll likely avoid snowstorms in the region, but it will be very cold this week, according to meteorologists.
There are no major storm systems expected in the Twin Cities this holiday weekend, said Jacob Beitlich, National Weather Service meteorologist. Central Minnesota and western Wisconsin could see a dusting of snow Wednesday as a weak system moves across the region, but snow is not expected in the metro area.
“And looking ahead, the lake effect snow will get going with the cold air moving in, but that’s mainly northern Wisconsin and northern Minnesota. So from that regard, really not too much to speak of,” Beitlich said. “It just looks like kind of a cold, drier pattern, which should be nice for travelers as we head into the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.”.
Travelers heading to central Midwestern states such as Nebraska or Kansas might see some snow, he noted.
“But, generally speaking, if you stay within, I’d say, a five hour radius of the Twin Cities, you’ll just have to contend with some cold temperatures, and that’ll be about it,” Beitlich said.
Temperatures likely won’t be above freezing this week, he said, with Wednesday highs in the upper 20s and Thursday with highs in the teens to mid-20s.
Friday through the weekend is forecast to be the coldest, with highs in the teens for most locations and single digits across northwest Minnesota, according to Beitlich.
Traveling outside of Minnesota
However, those traveling outside of Minnesota should expect airports to be busy.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport expects a minimum of 468,000 travelers to have been screened at the airport from Nov. 21 to Dec. 2. That’s a more than 10% increase from the same period last year, according to the Metropolitan Airports Commission which manages MSP airport.
Nationwide, the Transportation Security Administration is anticipating the busiest Thanksgiving travel period on record. An estimated 18.3 million people are expected to be screened at airports from Nov. 26 to Monday, a volume increase of around 6% from the same time last year.
Travel for Thanksgiving typically peaks the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and goes up again that Sunday as travelers return home, said MSP airport spokesperson Jeff Lea.
Those returning home on Sunday shouldn’t expect any major storm systems anywhere in the country, according to the Associated Press.
MSP airport will have extra staff available in preparation for the high demand going through Sunday. MSP’s Terminal 2 also has a new express lane to aid pickup and drop-off and prevent further congestion. The terminal has seen a passenger increase of 35% in the first nine months of the year compared to last year, according to Lea. Airlines at Terminal 2 include Sun Country, Southwest and JetBlue.
Though the Twin Cities isn’t expecting storms this holiday week, storms elsewhere can have a ripple effect of flight delays and cancellations, Lea said.
“We certainly just recommend that travelers stay in touch with their particular airline, however best they can do that, whether that’s by phone, online, or whatever way they can stay connected to make sure they get the latest flight status,” Lea said.
Tips for motorists
Drivers also can take certain precautions to stay safe in harsher weather, according to Beitlich.
“We always like to say, tell someone where you’re going, and when you arrive; make sure you have a charged phone with you. And I think the big thing is, if you don’t wear a jacket in the car or have it, just to bring winter clothes with you when you’re traveling, in case you get stranded,” Beitlich said.
Travelers can also visit the National Weather Service website — at weather.gov — for weather reports or check their local media, Beitlich said.
“It’s looking pretty quiet. I think folks won’t have too tough of a time getting from where they need to go. So, yeah, just enjoy the weekend,” he said.
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