Weather forecast: What to expect while traveling to your holiday destinations

The Christmas holiday falls in the middle of next week on Wednesday and for those who plan to travel out of town to be with friends and family for the holiday, many will begin hitting the road or flying Friday, Dec. 20 through this weekend.

According to the AAA travel forecast, more than 119 million Americans are anticipated to travel at least 50 miles between Friday, Dec. 21 and Wednesday, Jan. 1. Those on the road will be about 3 million more than last year and likely break the record of those who traveled during this holiday season set in 2019.

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Close to 90% will travel by car, primarily thanks to lower gas prices. The remainder will fly or take Amtrak. New records of 7.85 million people are expected to fly, according to AAA. Here is what you need to know before you go.

Holiday weather

A strong westerly jetstream across the Northern Pacific is forecasted to navigate an ongoing series of Pacific weather systems into the Pacific Northwest. The wet and unseasonably mild weather of late is anticipated to continue this weekend and through next week as well, including the Christmas holiday.

In Western Washington, Friday looks to be the overall driest day. Then, expect periods of rain this weekend through next week. On Tuesday (Christmas Eve), a strong low-pressure system well offshore is likely to kick up blustery winds along the coast and in the north interior, mainly from Whidbey Island northward.

Temperatures will remain unseasonably mild for this time of year. Highs will range from the upper 40s to mid-50s with lows dropping only into the upper 30s and 40s. The average high and low temperatures during this period are in the mid-40s and mid-30s, respectively.

For those with plans across the Cascades, snow levels will yo-yo from approximately 3,500 feet to 5,500 feet. Lower pass highways such as Snoqualmie Pass should have reasonable driving conditions this weekend and well into next week.

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Snoqualmie Pass joined all other ski areas by opening itself for skiing earlier this week. Unfortunately, with snow levels generally above that pass, the weather is likely not going to offer much of any new snow there, while higher-elevation ski areas should receive periods of snow. Be sure to monitor the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) website or mobile app for the latest pass highway conditions.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X