US midwest and north brace for storm as nearly 82m people travel for holidays
· Yahoo NewsParts of the US midwest and the Great Lakes region are bracing for a strong storm this weekend, as an estimated 82 million Americans travel to gather in celebration of Thanksgiving.
Some parts of the country are expecting cold, snowy conditions, and the weather has already caused some travel delays. On Thursday morning more than 800 flights were already delayed, most in the northern states.
Although delays were expected, airports have largely recovered from the government shutdown, during which thousands of federal employees worked without pay, leading to staffing shortages.
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According to a winter storm watch message from the National Weather Service, heavy snow is likely to hit parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, between six and 10 inches, beginning on Friday afternoon and going through Saturday evening.
The National Weather Service is warning of potentially “hazardous conditions” that may affect travel on Friday night.
In the north-east of the country the temperature is likely to dip, with colder air extending across the eastern half of the US on Thursday, and reaching down to Texas on Friday or Saturday, potentially sweeping away the thunderstorms that are currently predicted.
Conditions are generally expected to stay warm in most other southern states, although a storm system is expected on Saturday near the Mississippi River valley.
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In New England, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) said it expected some rain, as well as snow in the Pacific north-west.
According to a travel forecast by the American Automobile Association (AAA), around 82 million people are expected to travel this Thanksgiving weekend, by air and by road. The website FlightAware tracked 6,630 delayed US flights on Wednesday.