A huge storm that swept from California to the East coast will likely meld with a Canadian cold front on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving — also known as America's busiest travel day of the year.
From Georgia to Maine, last-minute travelers will have to slog through tropical storm-like wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour and 3 to 4 inches of rain, as Winter Storm Boreas will not be cold enough to yield snow in many areas. Winds at altitude could reach 100 miles per hour, which will likely cause airports along the East coast to limit their takeoffs and landings throughout the day, causing yet more delays and cancellations.
See also: Icy, Slushy and All Around Yucky: This Storm May Ruin Thanksgiving
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, which has already been through the brunt of the storm, canceled 650 flights on Monday alone. Other airlines waived fees in light of the conditions.
But 90% of the AAA-estimated 43.4 million people who will travel 50-plus miles this Thanksgiving will do so by car, and roads are likely to be much more dangerous than the air during the storm.
Boreas has already killed at least 14 in states from California to New Mexico to Oklahoma, according to The Weather Channel, mostly a result of awful road conditions caused by a brutal wintry mix.
The only good news for travelers is that the storm is expected to leave as quickly as it arrived. Skies are supposed to settle by Thanksgiving morning.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
Image: Flickr, Phil King