Stormy weather on Thanksgiving Day combined with record-breaking holiday travel could cause problems for travelers around Boston this week.
With rain and possible snowfall in the forecast starting Wednesday night, Logan Airport is warning passengers of potential delays and plans to have extra staff on hand. Experts also expect the roads to be congested as drivers try to beat the storm.
Forecasters predict the storm will likely come to an end late Thursday night and early Friday morning. The system will bring rain and potentially even snow in higher elevations in northern New England.
“Leave a little earlier. Stay a little calmer,” AAA Northeast’s Mark Schieldrop said. “Give the gift of giving some room on the road for other folks.”
The stormy weather coincides with about 80 million people across the country traveling over the holiday period, according to AAA — almost all by car.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday are generally the busiest days on the road, according to Schieldrop. With Thursday’s wet and slushy weather, he says that could lead to even more cars on the road ahead of the holiday.
“Folks who were thinking of getting up and leaving early on Thanksgiving morning … they may already be on their way, because they want to avoid the worst of the weather as it approaches,” Schieldrop said.
The storm could also disrupt travel in and out of Logan Airport.
“We’re expecting potential weather across the Northeast that could impact flights at Boston Logan,” Massport spokesperson Jennifer Mehigan said in a statement. “As always, in these types of situations we encourage passengers to check with their airlines before coming to the airport.”
Logan is expecting roughly 1.2 million passengers to come through the airport during the holiday period, which stretches from last Friday to next Monday. Wednesday and Sunday are set to be the busiest days for air travel.
Airport officials recommend allowing for extra time to get to Logan and through security. They also suggest travelers use public transportation to get to the airport when possible to avoid congestion on the roads.
