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Good Travel Days Ahead

The next couple of days are some of the busiest travel days of the year. Coincidentally, this is also one of the times of the year where travel weather can be at its worst. Heavy snow storms or strong cold fronts are prevalent during the temperature transition between summer and winter.

The good news this year...More than 75% of the country will have dry roads this week!



Areas to focus on:

Pacific Northwest:
When the country is under meridional flow (think up and down like a roller coaster) with the jet stream, the storm door opens in the Northern Pacific Ocean. This sends wave after wave of low pressure systems onshore in the Pacific Northwest. With a large ridge in the desert southwest, all rain and snow activity will be confined north. Snow in the Western Rockies and High Cascades is expected, but rain and fog will make passes and valley travel difficult as well.

Northern Plains/Northern Midwest
A weak low will bring in a mid-week chill for the eastern half of the United States. As the system tracks eastward, it will have little moisture to work with. In the extreme Northern Plains and the upper Midwest, the diving front will tap into what little moisture is available and bring a quick hit of rain & snow as the front passes. Rain and snow will fall for a brief time on Tuesday as the line moves eastward. This feature will be too far north for us to receive any precipitation, but the cooler air will be felt. Still, if you plan on traveling north, Wednesday is the better day as the rain/snow will be finished and roads will be drier.

Extreme Southeast
Winds flowing onshore from the Gulf of Mexico will transport moisture for the next few days. Florida, Southern Georgia and parts of the Carolina Coastline will receive diurnally (daytime heating) driven showers and thunderstorms. This is nothing new for the southeast, but roads will be slippery because of it.

Back Home
Kentucky has it easy going for Tuesday and Wednesday. High pressure will keep the sun shining and the precipitation at bay. Roads will remain dry for any holiday travel this week. That being said, warm jackets are not a bad idea. Mornings will start near or below freezing and despite the sunshine, afternoons will still be chilly, especially after the dry, mid-week cold front.



-Meteorologist Seth Phillips


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