The holidays are in full swing and, like every other year, travelers will be heading all across the United States to visit families. This year, however, a major storm will be a threat to those travelers, both driving and flying.

The day before Thanksgiving is always the busiest travel day of the year, and coincidently, it is also the day that the worst of the weather is expected. People out West have already had up to a foot of snowfall and can expect more coming in the next few days. In the East, we can expect more snow, rain, as well as a winter mix.

AAA predicted that 43 million people are expected to be traveling this holiday season with 3.1 million of those flying. This could cause for delays at airports in places like New York, Boston, Washington and Baltimore.

While the weather will not be ideal, AAA Chief Operating Officer, Marshall L. Doney, says that travelers may experience cheaper gas prices and is calling this Thanksgiving, “the least expensive holiday of the year.”

“While the economy continues to improve, the sluggish pace of the recovery is creating uncertainty in the minds of some consumers and therefore AAA is projecting a slight decline in the number of Thanksgiving travelers this year. For those traveling the good news is motorists will receive a holiday bonus in the form of lower gas prices which are at their lowest levels for the holiday since 2010.”

“The primary focus of Thanksgiving, more so than any other holiday, is to gather with friends, family and loved ones and celebrate with each other. Travelers attempting to carve out a travel budget will be happy to know that Thanksgiving will be the least expensive holiday of the year,” continued Doney.

So, if you plan on traveling this week, be sure to tune in to the local weather channel and keep an eye on the weather threats that are affecting your area. Happy Holidays!

Image via Wikimedia Commons