Kevin Schneider

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While we finish our Thanksgiving food and head back home, loads of people in the Upper Midwest and Northeast are in store for a MAJOR cool down going into next week. The Climate Prediction Center has great confidence in seeing some well below-average temperatures going into early December.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-26 185648-1764208626428.png">But what's going on? Well, it all starts at the Polar Vortex, which typically traps arctic air where it belongs, at the North Pole. However, it's expected to weaken over the next week. As a result, frigid polar air descends south through Canada, impacting northern areas of the U.S.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/2025-11-26 11-29-15-1764174576719.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Now let's have a look at some of the impacts. Temperatures across the upper-Midwest will dwindle down into the single digits, with places like Minneapolis having a forecast low of ZERO degrees on Monday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-27 073238-1764254016976.jpg">We can also expect the winds to kick up as this arctic air makes its way down south. This could spell trouble as some of these wind chill values will likely breach sub-zero temperatures. Some of these values are getting as cold as 30 degrees below zero on Monday morning.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-27 073356-1764254043937.jpg">With such a major cool-down on the way, it's likely to shake things up in our atmosphere. Starting over the weekend, heavy snowfall and rainfall will likely impact several major cities nationwide, which could cause some issues for folks on their way back from their Thanksgiving celebrations!<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/2025-11-26 11-32-19-1764174761056.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>Make sure to stay tuned to WeatherNation, where we're going to be tracking what this system brings all throughout this weekend!

Major Cooldown in Store for the Upper-Midwest

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Alana Cameron was born and raised in Canada in the city of Mississauga, just outside of Toronto. Alana is the oldest of 4 siblings, all close in age, and grew up playing outside with them in all types of weather. After graduating high school, Alana moved to study at the University of British Columbia in Kelowna for a year before transferring to Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia where she completed a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Atmospheric Science. Upon completion, Alana moved back to Toronto where she completed a post-grad degree in Meteorology at York University. After her post-grad, she went on to complete another post-grad in Broadcast Journalism - TV News at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. During her final year of studies she had the privilege of interning with the best in the business in Canada at The Weather Network. Once she finished her internship, she got the call from small-town Denison, Texas where she accepted a job as an on-air meteorologist at KTEN-TV, right in tornado alley, covering severe weather from Sherman/Denison (North Texas) to Ada (Southern Oklahoma). After the most active tornado season Oklahoma had seen in May 2019 (105 tornadoes!) Alana is excited to join WeatherNation to cover weather all across the nation. If you're interested in following her on social media she can be found @alanacameronwx!

Alana Cameron

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An upper-level trough moving through the Great Lakes will head to the Northeast to bring rain, snow, winds, and lake effect snow this Thanksgiving.<h2>Forecast Timing</h2>A low-pressure system working over the Great Lakes and northeast will continue to produce heavy snowfall, especially when our cold north-westerly winds get cranking over the warm Great Lakes that remain unfrozen.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/11-26_rne bams3k 18z-1764208823016.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video><h2>Snow Forecast</h2>Winter weather alerts remain in place issued across the eastern shores of the Great Lakes through Friday. These winter alerts are for widely varying snowfall totals, but between 1 to 2 feet is possible, as well as winds as high as 50 mph. These combined could lead to whiteout conditions for Thanksgiving travel.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-26 185938-1764209014020.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-26 185924-1764209019580.png"><h2>Wind Forecast</h2>If you're holding a balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, the winds are what concern you. It doesn't look like it will be windy enough to affect much of the parade, but balloons might have to be lowered to help offset winds funneling between buildings.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-26 110025-1764180037086.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-26 110031-1764180042003.png">Be cautious during your travels this Thanksgiving Holiday, the weather will bring impacts!

Lake Effect Snow for the Northeast

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Dave Holder

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While travel conditions before Thanksgiving hopefully weren't too terrible, the other side of the timeline may be a different story! A strong wave in the atmosphere will rotate around an upper-level low dropping south, increasing precipitation chances while allowing cold polar air to spill south. This will lead to multiple impacts across the country by Black Friday and beyond (see above).<h1>North Side</h1>Fresh off the heels of the last system, heavy snow will accumulate across Montana and the Dakotas starting Friday. Into the weekend, the storm will continue to strengthen, with models bringing shoveable snow totals across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/11-26_RNC RNE BAMS3K FRI TO SAT-1764208334209.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>This system will also bring the coldest air of the season so far, as temperatures will struggle to warm above freezing for some throughout the weekend.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-26 185233-1764208362025.png"><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-26 131213-1764187939689.png">Snowfall totals are still a bit uncertain with a few winter alerts getting issued across the Plains.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-26 185508-1764208515192.png"><h1>South Side</h1>Farther south, instability will grow during the afternoons as warm and humid air is pulled north from the Gulf. With strong upper-level winds and shear increasing by the weekend, strong storms will be possible out ahead of and along an advancing cold front.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-26 125600-1764187969050.png">A few storms may be possible on Friday, but models for Saturday depict the potential of strong storms, particularly across East Texas and into northern Louisiana in the afternoon hours.<video src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/11-26_Rsc rse bams3k-1764208571688.mp4" controls="true" width="100%"></video>We'll continue to update this developing story over the following days on WeatherNation!

Powerful System To Disrupt Travel After Thanksgiving

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It is that time of year again—when millions of Americans hit the road or the skies to connect with friends and family. AAA is expecting a record number of travelers this year, surpassing the record-breaking 2024. Most travelers will be hitting the road vs flying.<div data-youtube-video=""><iframe width="640" height="480" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o78PUXSJCJU" start="0"></iframe></div><img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-17 104347-1763401813998.png">With millions hitting the roads, traffic will be hard to avoid, no matter where you are heading. However, there will be some better times to do your traveling. AAA suggests starting the journey early, but with a reasonable night of sleep the night prior.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-17 105052-1763401888415.png">With so many traveling over the holidays, there are some favored destinations. Besides New York City, the other nine top destinations favor warm weather in late November.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-17 110215-1763402544204.png">How does this compare to previous years? With more than 6 million people expected to fly, that's a 2% increase compared to last year, but it's a more than 10% jump compared to pre-pandemic levels!<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-17 105653-1763402231681.png">

A Record Breaking Thanksgiving Travel Week Expected

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A low-pressure system blowing through the Upper Midwest has produced over a foot of snow and winds up to nearly 80 mph! This system will slow down for these areas for about a day before our next system moves in Friday.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-26 110411-1764180296343.png"><h1>Snow Outlook</h1>Widespread Winter Weather Alerts have been ending across the Great Lakes for this round of snow, but the next ones will quickly get issued for Friday and Saturday's snow. Heavy snow, with rates of 1-2" per hour, combined with wind gusts upwards of 40-50 mph, will make driving extremely dangerous. Whiteout conditions could make travel nearly impossible.Blizzard Warnings remain in place for portions of Wisconsin and Michigan. When visibility is reduced to 1/4 or less, winds are greater than 35 mph, and this lasts for 3 hours, this classifies a winter storm as a blizzard.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-26 110207-1764180180891.png">Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan could accumulate up to one to two FEET of snowfall due to the nature of lake effect snow.<img src="https://media.weathernationtv.com/app/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot 2025-11-26 110210-1764180213668.png">For more details, tune in to your Central Regional Forecast :30 past the hour.

Powerful System To Disrupt Travel After Thanksgiving

A Record Breaking Thanksgiving Travel Week Expected

Midwest Snow Storm Triggers Blizzard Warnings

Major Cooldown in Store for the Upper-Midwest

Lake Effect Snow for the Northeast

Powerful System To Disrupt Travel After Thanksgiving

A Record Breaking Thanksgiving Travel Week Expected

Midwest Snow Storm Triggers Blizzard Warnings

Major Cooldown in Store for the Upper-Midwest

Lake Effect Snow for the Northeast

Powerful System To Disrupt Travel After Thanksgiving

A Record Breaking Thanksgiving Travel Week Expected

Midwest Snow Storm Triggers Blizzard Warnings