The National Weather Service (NWS) warned on Friday that two winter storms will cause 'dangerous travel conditions' in the northern United States this weekend following Thanksgiving, as a record travel season is expected. The NWS forecast lake-effect snowfall along the Great Lakes region, as well as a 'major winter storm' in the northern plains that will impact the Midwest, leading to 'widespread and heavy snowfall and hazardous travel conditions.' 'The end result of this multi-day major winter storm post-Thanksgiving will be significant impacts to travel, both ground and air, given the expectations for heavy snowfall, gusty winds, and poor visibility,' the agency stated in a report. The report also anticipated a winter pattern that will bring below-average freezing temperatures for 'much' of the eastern and central United States toward the weekend, one of the busiest travel times of the year. As the winter storm travels from the Midwest to New England, the South will see 'heavy rain' in Texas and Louisiana, with some flash flooding and 'severe' weather, the advisory added. In contrast, the southwestern United States will experience mild weather, while in the southeast, temperatures will rise toward the weekend with dry portions, especially in Florida, the NWS pointed out. According to the flight-tracking site FlightAware, more than 1,700 flights were delayed and nearly 30 were canceled in the U.S. into Friday afternoon. The storms are forecast as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports the 'busiest Thanksgiving travel season in 15 years,' with more than 360,000 flights expected from November 24 to December 2. During this period, a record of over 81 million travelers is expected, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), of which 73 million would travel by road. Meanwhile, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) projected over 17.8 million air travelers, and the public rail company Amtrak estimated to surpass the record of 1.2 million passengers during these dates.
