Thanksgiving holiday weather and travel: What to know

The week of Thanksgiving is here. Across the nation, according to the AAA travel forecast, close to 80 million Americans are anticipated to travel for Thanksgiving, about 2 million more than last year. Close to 90% will travel by car, primarily thanks to lower gas prices. The remainder will fly or take Amtrak. Here is what you need to know before you go.

Weather

In Western Washington, no significant or impactful weather is anticipated all the way through the holiday weekend.

The area of low-pressure aloft that has been present well offshore for over a week and has been spinning weather onshore, including last Tuesday night’s “bomb cyclone,” is finally expected to move inland Tuesday. Until then, the mix of showers and sun breaks will continue.

By Wednesday, higher pressure aloft is forecast to build over the region and begin a drier weather pattern that is anticipated to hold through the holiday weekend. The only exception may be a weak weather system that tracks through Southern British Columbia for a threat of light precipitation Thursday night and Friday across the northern half of Western Washington.

High temperatures through the holiday weekend will be a bit cool for the latter part of November, warming only into the 40s. Low temperatures will be in the 30s.

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For those with plans across the Cascades, Monday and Tuesday will have some showers with a snow level near 3,000 feet. Total snow amounts will generally be light, ranging from 2 to 5 inches. For Wednesday through the weekend, if there is any precipitation, the snow level is expected to hover around 2,000 feet. With several high-elevation ski areas already open, snow conditions should be nearly ideal.

East of the Cascades, the drier weather is also in the forecast starting Wednesday. Temperatures will also be cool, with highs mainly in the 30s and lows in the 20s.

For those flying elsewhere in the country, much of the rest of the nation will also be quite cool through the weekend. The Ohio Valley region will have a mix of rain and snow Monday, moving into the mid-Atlantic region and to the Northeast on Tuesday before moving offshore. On Thanksgiving Day, a developing weather system with mainly rain will impact the Southeast into Friday. Otherwise, the rest of the nation’s weather looks rather tranquil.

Air Travel

And speaking of flying, authorities at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac) anticipate Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday will be the busiest Thanksgiving travel days. They expect about 1.5 million people to move through the airport through the holiday weekend, with the busiest day expected to be Tuesday.

SeaTac noted 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 p.m. and 5 p.m., and again when the evening rush hits between 9 p.m. 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 airport has the SEA Spot Saver TSA screening reservation program that does not involve any 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 3 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 Sound Transit Light Rail to reach the airport in a cost-effective and timely manner.

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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 that at SeaTac. Alaska Airlines currently has 18 daily departures from Paine Field, all heading to more southern warmer destinations. Kenmore Air also has flights to/from the San Juan Islands.

Driving

Most holiday weekend travelers will be on the road. To help avoid delays and frustration in traffic, plan to travel before or after the following peak times based on Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Thanksgiving weekend travel charts compiled over years of traffic data.

Going over Snoqualmie Pass on Interstate 90 (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 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 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day itself. Returning across Stevens Pass finds the heaviest travel days to be on Saturday and Sunday, peaking 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.

There are no travel charts heading north toward Bellingham, but expect higher traffic volumes similar to those heading toward Portland during the holiday weekend.

Ferries

If you plan to use the ferry system, keep in mind that Washington State Ferries (WSF) continues to suffer fewer available vessels and occasional staffing shortages.

Ferry authorities anticipate that nearly 300,000 people will use the system during the holiday period. The busiest sailings for vehicles will likely be westbound (or onto an island) Wednesday and Thursday, then eastbound (or off island) Friday and Saturday.

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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 60 cents lower than at this time last year, according to AAA Travel. Outside of the many urban Western Washington areas, a large number of stations are offering regular gas at under $4 per gallon. The average price of regular gas statewide is about $3.98 a gallon.

Amtrak

Amtrak rail service will also be busy but have enough capacity. Amtrak says the busiest travel days are Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving.

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. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X