Which states could get snow on Thanksgiving Day 2024? See forecast maps

Are you dreaming of a white Thanksgiving? Well, people across the country are forecasted to start the holiday season with cold temperatures and snowfall, which could cause travel delays this year.

"Depending on where you are this Thanksgiving, freezing your leftovers shouldn’t be a problem," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, said in a post on X. "Be prepared for an Arctic blast in the heartland, with wet weather in the East."

A low-pressure system will bring heavy snowfall to the Colorado Rockies Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service. In the afternoon, showers and thunderstorms will develop across the mid and lower Mississippi Valley and the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys and then spread and move out towards the East Coast on Thanksgiving Day.

Across the Northeast, areas are expected to receive light to moderate snowfall. By Friday morning, the Northern Appalachians are set to receive 4 to 8 inches of snow.

Which states are expected to see fresh snowfall on Thanksgiving?

Areas in the following states are expected to receive fresh snow on the holiday, according to NWS:

• Idaho

• Montana

• Wyoming

• North Dakota

• South Dakota

• Minnesota

• Wisconsin

• Michigan

• Maine

Meanwhile, mixed precipitation is forecast Wednesday for more than a dozen states, from Arizona through the Plains and Great Lakes and into Maine. Heavy snowfall could be seen in parts of Colorado before the holiday.

Snow forecast map

The map below shows the probability that an area could receive more than 4 inches of snow. Use the slider at the top left to toggle by day.

Winter weather forecast map: See full version

Forecasts the day after

Shockingly cold air funneled directly from the Arctic is set to make an unwelcome appearance across nearly the entire eastern half of the country this weekend and into early next week, forecasters said Monday, and the cold may stick around for a while.

It's the first significant Arctic outbreak of the season, and it will arrive in the northern Rockies and northern Plains on Thanksgiving and Friday, the National Weather Service said. The cold will then advance farther south and east through much of the Plains and Midwest this weekend.

Areas in the Midwest and Northeast could see heavy snow and hazardous cold starting Friday, according to the NWS. Areas from the west border of Texas to the southeast coast of Virginia, including northern parts of Florida, could see frost or freeze warnings until Dec. 3.

On Friday, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Ohio are forecasted to see fresh snow, too.

Weather warnings and watches around the US

National weather radar

Travel records are also in forecast

Anything that jams up flights would be coming at a historically bad time.

Last week, the Transportation Security Administration said it expects to see its busiest Thanksgiving travel period on record, estimating its agents will screen 18.3 million people from Tuesday through Dec. 2. That would represent a 6% increase from 2023.

Passenger volumes have reached record highs in 2024; there has been an increase of 17% since 2022, the TSA said in a statement. TSA Administrator David Pekoske said the 10 busiest travel days in the TSA's history have all occurred in 2024, adding that "we anticipate that trend to continue."

Low gas prices could drive record travel

AAA projects 79.9 million people will travel 50 miles or more from their homes for Thanksgiving from Tuesday to Dec. 2. That represents 1.7 million more travelers than last year and 2 million more than in 2019.

“Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel.

Low gas prices are expected to fuel record travel. The national average will possibly drop below $3 a gallon for the first time since 2021.

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at [email protected]

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Thanksgiving snow forecast map: Which states could see fresh snowfall?