Wash. — This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
The week of Thanksgiving is here, and many are planning to travel to visit family for the holiday.
The AAA Travel forecast reports a record number of travelers, close to 82 million. Just under 90% of them will drive more than 50 miles to their destination. About 6 million people are expected to fly, while the rest will take buses or Amtrak. Here is what you need to know before you go.
Weather
In Western Washington, rain will be the rule for much of the week. There will be a dry window of opportunity starting Monday night into Tuesday afternoon. After that, a Pacific weather system is expected to spread rain inland later Tuesday into Wednesday. Another system will follow suit on Thanksgiving Day and into Black Friday.
Over the holiday weekend, though, a change in the overall weather pattern will result in a cooling and drying trend. Temperatures early next week, by Sunday and Monday, will likely be the coldest of the season thus far, with nighttime temperatures dipping into the 30s and some outlying areas falling below freezing.
High temperatures during the week will start in the 40s on Monday and Tuesday, warming to the lower to mid-50s on Wednesday through Friday. Then the cooling trend will get underway over the weekend with highs dropping into the 40s.
The Cascades and Eastern Washington
For those with plans across the Cascades, Monday will bring showers, with a snow level around 2,500 feet. Total snow amounts will generally be light, only a few inches. As the Tuesday weather system arrives, the snow level will rise to 5,500 feet by Wednesday, but cool easterly winds through the passes may keep the snow levels near the passes, with the possibility of brief freezing rain mainly Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
Snow levels will remain relatively high through Thanksgiving before falling to near 4,000 feet Friday and below the passes over the holiday weekend. The best window of opportunity to cross the Cascades with few worries will be Monday night and Tuesday morning. Wet pavement is likely later Wednesday into Thanksgiving. By the weekend, conditions will be drying out with only a minor threat of snow despite the cooler temperatures.
East of the Cascades, generally dry weather is anticipated on Monday and Tuesday. The incoming weather systems on the west side will spread some rain east of the mountains on Wednesday and Thanksgiving. By the weekend, conditions will also dry out and cool down, with highs struggling to reach 40 degrees and lows dropping into the 20s.
The rest of the nation
For those flying elsewhere in the country, an active weather system will move from the middle of the country on Tuesday to the eastern seaboard on Wednesday, with clearing conditions behind it. Expect airport impacts as this weather system marches out into the Atlantic Ocean by Thanksgiving. After that, much of the country will also experience a rather dramatic drop in temperatures as colder air surges south from Canada through the holiday weekend.
Air travel
Authorities at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) anticipate Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday will be the busiest Thanksgiving travel days. Sunday alone will have close to 190,000 passengers move through the airport.
They note that more than one-third of daily passenger volumes arrive at the airport before 9 a.m., creating long lines approaching their arrival doors and at TSA security checkpoints. As always, arrive early. Other peak times also include between 2 and 5 p.m., and again in the evening between 9 and 11 p.m.
TSA security checkpoints will be busiest from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m., 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and again from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. The new Checkpoint 6 on the north end of the terminal recently opened to help with the holiday rush.
The airport offers the SEA Spot Saver TSA screening reservation program, which does not require a membership. Appointments can be scheduled in advance online for security screening, resulting in reduced wait times. SEA Spot Saver is used primarily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. at TSA Checkpoints 2 and 4 for all airline passengers.
Parking and drop-offs/pickups of passengers will also be challenging at the airport. To help avoid the crowds at the curb, travelers can use both the departure and arrival lanes, as well as Sound Transit Light Rail, to reach the airport in a cost-effective and timely manner.
Snohomish County’s Paine Field is a different story. The Paine Field passenger terminal will be busier than normal, but will have far less congestion than at SEA. Alaska Airlines currently has 18 daily departures from Paine Field, all heading to warmer, more southern destinations. Kenmore Air also has flights to/from the San Juan Islands, and Frontier Airlines now serves Paine Field.
Driving
Most holiday travelers will be on the road. To help avoid delays and frustration on the road, plan to travel before or after the following peak times, based on the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Thanksgiving weekend travel charts compiled from years of traffic data.
Going over Snoqualmie Pass on I-90, heading to the eastside is by far the busiest on Tuesday and Wednesday, peaking between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Returning from Eastern Washington is also quite busy on both Saturday and Sunday, peaking again from 11 a.m. through 6 p.m.
For those heading east over Stevens Pass, the heaviest travel days are expected to be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thanksgiving Day. If you are returning across Stevens Pass, the heaviest travel days are Saturday and Sunday, with peak traffic in both directions from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If driving toward Portland, Wednesday is definitely the busiest day, with stop-and-go traffic at times expected from as early as 9 a.m. and continuing through 7 p.m. Each day, though, through the holiday weekend is also quite busy. The return trip finds the heaviest traffic volumes on Saturday and Sunday from midday until close to 7 p.m.
For those heading north toward Bellingham, the WSDOT I-5 charts show similar traffic time peaks on Tuesday and Wednesday northbound, and on Saturday and Sunday returning southbound.
Ferries
Ferry authorities anticipate nearly 300,000 people to use the system during the holiday period. The busiest sailings for vehicles will likely be westbound (or onto an island) on Wednesday and Thursday, then eastbound (or off an island) on Saturday and Sunday. Both directions are anticipated to be busy on Friday.
Be sure to check the ferry schedule on their website or app for the latest available information, and plan for likely long waits at ferry terminals. To reduce waiting, consider taking an early morning or late-night sailing, or using transit to walk or bike onto the ferry if possible.
Gas prices
At the gas pump, prices are about 20 cents higher than at this time last year, according to AAA Travel. The average price of regular gas statewide is about $4.18 a gallon. Outside of the many urban Western Washington and coastal areas, a number of stations are offering regular gas at under $4 per gallon.
Amtrak and bus service
Amtrak rail service will also be busy, but it has enough capacity. Amtrak says the busiest travel days are Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving. Bus lines also report similar busy time periods.
Wherever you travel this holiday weekend, plan ahead to help avoid stress, travel safely, and enjoy your holiday weekend with family and friends.
Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.
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