New Yorkers dreaming of a white Christmas may get their wish this year. A winter storm is set to strike parts of the Northeast during one of the busiest travel seasons of the year.
Starting on December 18th, the holiday week is expected to begin with clear skies until Wednesday, with highs in the 40s. Midweek is when the Northeast will see rain and potential snow.
Although it’s still early to confirm how the storm will impact New York City, rain is expected to fall in the Northeast region affecting major cities: Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, D.C.
Upstate New York will most likely have at least a couple of inches of snow by the end of this week. Buffalo and Syracuse expect snow from Friday until the end of the weekend.
New York City is set to experience cloudy weather this Saturday aka Christmas Eve. According to Fox Weather, Christmas Day is expected to reach the high 20s.
Related: These Are The Best And Worst Times To Travel By Car This Holiday Season, According To AAA
Possible Nor’easter
Fox Weather meteorologist Christopher Tate reports that a nor’easter could hit The Big Apple and other major Northeast cities from Friday until Christmas Day.
“Something is going to happen and regardless it’s gonna be impactful, it’s going to affect Christmas travel,” says Tate.
The impact on travel
According to the AAA, 112.7 million people will travel at least 50 miles away from home between December 23rd to January 2nd. This number is an increase of 3.6 million people since 2021 and nearing pre-pandemic numbers. This year is expected to be the third busiest holiday travel year since 2000 when AAA began tracking.
“This year, travel time will be extended due to Christmas Day and New Year’s Day falling on Sundays,” says Paula Twidale, AAA’s Senior Vice President of Travel.
This weekend’s snowfall could impact travel for those traveling to and from New York City this holiday season. If you have a flight this weekend or are planning to travel, monitor the news and airline for flight cancellations and delays.
Related: These Are The Top 20 Cities In The U.S. To Bring In 2023
