Colder Weather Moving In As Americans Hit The Road
November 25 was expected to be the busiest day of the year for travel as families packed up for Thanksgiving trips.
According to Sec. of Transportation Sean Duffy, there will be 82 million people traveling for the holiday, with 52,000 flights scheduled on Tuesday alone.
While Americans don’t have to worry about the government shutdown that ended on November 12, which would’ve severely crippled the nation’s air traffic control capabilities had it continued, there are some weather concerns in some regions of the United States.
A record 82 MILLION people are traveling for Thanksgiving, by train, car, and plane.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) November 24, 2025
Tomorrow will be the busiest day with 52,000 flights ✈️
Make sure to get to the airport early, and thank your flight crews. And don’t forget to dress with respect!
The Golden Age of travel… pic.twitter.com/42b1YRCZGS
While cooler weather may heighten the anticipation for Christmas, the snow and freezing temperatures it could bring to some states should be approached with caution.
According to the National Weather Service, this is being brought on by the triple threat of La Niña, the Madden-Julian Oscillation, and “the potential for a rare November Sudden Stratospheric Warming event,” more commonly known as a polar vortex.
The combination of these systems could “drive winter-like conditions across much of the U.S. late November into early December.”
The National Weather Service went on to detail the scope of the lower temperatures:
“Below normal temperatures are favored for the Central and Northern U.S., including northern parts of the Pacific Northwest, the Great Plains, parts of Texas, and the interior Mid-Atlantic. Below normal temperatures may start as early as November 25, with spatial coverage and confidence increasing during the Nov 26-30 period.”
See the map of the weather system, here:
What About The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Rain or shine, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a staple of the holiday, ushering in Christmas while entertaining families in the morning of Thanksgiving for the past 99 years.
With that said, the parade should go on without interruption from this weather cycle.
On Thursday, November 27, as floats, marching bands, balloons, and country stars make their way down 34th Street, they will be greeted with a mostly cloudy day. New York City will see a high of 44 degrees, with a low of 34 degrees.
Compared to the 2018 parade, which saw a high of 19 degrees, parade attendees and participants should be all smiles.
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