The best and worst times to hit the road this Thanksgiving
AAA states that out of the projected 82 million Americans traveling this holiday, nearly 90 percent of them will be commuting by car.
One week out: Storms throughout the country may impact Thanksgiving travel
At a glance, the weather is fair for most parts of the country traveling Wednesday, but rain will pose possible travel impacts for parts of the East Coast, as Thursday will bring more storms and rain to certain regions.
Thanksgiving is just a week away and commuters may be met with potential impacts ranging from traffic backups to construction to severe weather.
According to AAA, the Thanksgiving holiday travel period officially runs from Tuesday, Nov. 25 to Monday, Dec. 1, and 82 million Americans are expected to travel in that time.
Nearly 90 percent of the holiday travelers are projected to be commuting by car, which is an increase of 1.3 million from last year.
"People are willing to brave the crowds and make last-minute adjustments to their plans to make lifelong memories, whether it’s visiting extended family or meeting up with friends," stated Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA.
FILE - Traffic moves along Interstate 80 in Emeryville, California, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. AAA projects 79.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday travel period.
(Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
According to the FOX Forecast Center, two storms are looming over the holiday, with potential road impacts, but the extent is unclear.
The first storm system will start Monday, Nov. 24 through Tuesday, Nov. 25, bringing rain to the southern Plains, moving into the Southeast, with possibilities of reaching the mid-Atlantic or even the Northeast.
The second storm system comes on Monday as well, bringing more rain and colder conditions to the Pacific Northwest, while the West, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Southeast are likely to have a drier Thanksgiving Day.
TWO STORMS LOOM OVER BUSY THANKSGIVING WEEK, POTENTIALLY IMPACTING MILLIONS OF TRAVELERS
Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon are expected to be the most congested periods for people on the road, per INRIX, a company specializing in safety analytics, and drivers on Sunday should watch out for heavy backups throughout most of the day.
FILE - Traffic came to a standstill on Route 3 northbound in Braintree as seen in a car's rearview mirror after a multi-car accident shut down the 3 travel lanes making it a 38 minute backup. The mass exodus of Thanksgiving travelers began early Wednesday morning. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
AAA predicts the worst times to drive from Tuesday, Nov. 24 through Wednesday, Nov. 26, are between 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., and 11:00 a.m. to 8 p.m., respectively, while Friday through Sunday's worst travel start times range between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m., ending between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.
The best day to travel for the holiday is Thanksgiving Day itself, with AAA reporting minimal traffic impact expected.
Other optimal times to travel are Monday through Wednesday and Friday to Saturday, ranging from anywhere before 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. throughout the week.
AAA and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) are also reminding travelers about the dangers of impaired driving, as the death toll in drunk-driving crashes from 2019-2023 during Thanksgiving activities represented one-third of all fatalities during the holiday period, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.