Thanksgiving travel forecast
Polar air will run into tropical moisture for the Thanksgiving holiday and weekend, causing wintry weather across the Plains along with heavy rain from Texas through Missouri.
WEDNESDAY: Travelers will encounter an increasing chance of rain heading north into Iowa and west into Kansas as rain will be likely ahead of a cold front. Thunderstorms are possible across Oklahoma & north Texas. Shallow, sub-freezing air behind the cold front will cause rain to freeze Wednesday night with icy travel possible in Nebraska & northwestern Kansas.
THANKSGIVING: A band of moderate to heavy rain is expected from western Missouri through Oklahoma early in the day, shifting southeast through Missouri Thursday night. Freezing temperatures advancing east will cause rain to freeze on contact and possible icy travel from central Nebraska through Kansas and the Texas panhandle through Thursday night with up to a quarter inch of ice possible.
FRIDAY: The heaviest rain shifts into southeastern Missouri by afternoon through southeast Oklahoma and Arkansas while light showers are possible farther north. As freezing temperatures creep into northwestern Missouri late in the day Friday, light icing is possible. Travelers heading to St. Joseph or Kansas City will want to use caution and keep in mind that some minor ice is possible.
SATURDAY: Another wave of moisture will track north along with slightly warmer temperatures which will keep precipitation as rain in Missouri through eastern Oklahoma and east. A narrow band of minor icing is possible early in the day Saturday in Kansas through central Oklahoma but moisture will be limited. A band of moderate rain is expected from eastern Texas to southern Missouri with lighter rain farther north Saturday.
SUNDAY: Rain moves east through the Ohio valley to the deep south through the day while another area of snow develops from Nebraska into the northern Plains late in the day Sunday and overnight.
