Millions of residents across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes will experience a white Thanksgiving this year.
A winter storm moved from the Dakotas and Minnesota on Tuesday toward Wisconsin and Michigan on Wednesday. Forecasters expect it to spread into parts of Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York by Thanksgiving Day, leaving a fresh layer of snow “like ice cream, atop apple pie.”
By late Tuesday, some of the season’s earliest winter storm warnings covered areas of North Dakota, Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and Michigan, where moderate to heavy, wind-driven snow is forecast through Wednesday.
In northeastern South Dakota, far northern Wisconsin, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, officials upgraded several warnings to blizzard conditions. The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Marquette, Michigan, said the region will face blizzard conditions with 17 to 30 inches of snow and wind gusts reaching 55 mph.
“Travel should be limited to emergencies only. If travel is necessary, carry a winter survival kit," the office advised.
Lake-effect snow warnings also apply to regions near Lakes Erie and Ontario in New York, where up to 20 inches of snow may fall from Thursday through Saturday.
Another storm arriving Saturday will likely deliver additional snow to central and western states. Meteorologists expect this system to track farther south than the first, and impact major cities such as St Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Detroit. Hazardous roads and travel delays are possible as people make their way home after the holiday.
An Arctic air mass pushing south from Alaska into the eastern United States is fueling these intense wintry conditions. Because of this shift, parts of western Alaska will be more than 20 degrees warmer than normal on Thanksgiving and could even record higher temperatures than Minneapolis, Chicago, and Cleveland.
Thanksgiving, a US national holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, falls on 27 November this year. It remains one of the country’s most cherished observances, bringing families together to share festive meals, enjoy time with loved ones, and reflect on the blessings in their lives. The tradition has its roots in early farmers giving thanks to God for a successful harvest, and over time, it has taken on broader historical and cultural meaning.
Holiday travel is expected to break records this year. According to AAA, an unprecedented 81.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday, 25 November and Monday, 1 December. That figure represents an increase of 1.6 million travellers compared to last year, making it the busiest Thanksgiving travel season on record.
