SNOHOMISH COUNTY, NOV. 26: The week of Thanksgiving is here. Across the nation according to the American Automobile Association (AAA) travel forecast, close to 80 million Americans are anticipated to travel for Thanksgiving, about 2 million more than last year. Close to 90 percent will travel by car primarily thanks to lower gas prices. The remainder will fly or take Amtrak. Here is what you need to know before you go.
Weather
In Western Washington, no significant or impactful weather is anticipated through the holiday weekend.
The area of low pressure aloft that has been present well offshore for over a week and has been spinning weather onshore including last Tuesday night’s ‘bomb cyclone’, is finally expected to move inland Tuesday. Until then, the mix of showers and sun breaks will continue.
By Wednesday, higher pressure aloft is forecast to build over the region and begin a drier weather pattern that is anticipated to hold through the holiday weekend. The only exception may be a weak weather system through Southern British Columbia for a threat of light precipitation Thursday night and Friday across the northern half of Western Washington.
High temperatures through the holiday weekend will be a bit cool for the latter part of November, warming only into the 40s. Low temperatures will be in the 30s.
For those with plans across the Cascades, Monday and Tuesday will have some showers with a snow level near 3,000 feet. For Wednesday through the weekend, if there is any precipitation, the snow level is expected to hover around 2,000 feet. With several high-elevation ski areas already open, snow conditions should be nearly ideal.
For those flying elsewhere in the country, much of the rest of the nation will be quite cool through the weekend. The Ohio Valley region will have a mix of rain and snow Monday moving into the mid-Atlantic region to the Northeast Tuesday before moving offshore. On Thanksgiving Day, a developing weather system with mainly rain will impact the Southeast into Friday. Otherwise, the rest of the nation’s weather looks rather tranquil.
Air Travel
And speaking of flying, authorities at SeaTac Airport anticipate Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday will be the busiest Thanksgiving travel days. They expect about 1.5 million people to move through the airport through the holiday weekend with the busiest day on Tuesday.
They note that more than one-third of daily passenger volumes arrive at the airport before 9 a.m., creating long lines approaching their arrival doors and at TSA security checkpoints. As always, arrive early. Other peak times also include between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., and again the evening rush between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.
TSA security checkpoints will be busiest from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m., 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and again from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. The airport has the SEA Spot Saver TSA screening reservation program that does not involve any membership. Appointments can be scheduled in advance online for security screening, resulting in reduced wait times. SEA Spot Saver is used primarily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. at TSA Checkpoints 2 and 3 for all airline passengers.
Parking and drop offs/pickups of passengers will also be challenging at the airport. To help avoid crowds at the curb, travelers can use Sound Transit Light Rail to reach the airport in a cost-effective and timely manner.
Snohomish County’s Paine Field is a different story. The Paine Field passenger terminal will be busier than normal but have far less congestion than that at Sea-Tac. Alaska Airlines currently has 18 daily departures from Paine Field. Kenmore Air also has flights to and from the San Juan Islands.
Driving
Most holiday weekend travelers will be on the road. If you wish to avoid delays and frustration in traffic, plan to travel before or after the following peak times based on Washington State Dept. of Transportation’s Thanksgiving weekend travel charts compiled over years of traffic data.
For those heading east over Stevens Pass, the heaviest travel days are expected to be on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day itself. Returning westbound across Stevens Pass finds the heaviest travel days to be on Saturday and Sunday, peaking in both directions from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Going over Snoqualmie Pass on I-90, heading to the eastside is by far the busiest on Tuesday and Wednesday; peaking between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Returning from Eastern Washington is quite busy on both Saturday and Sunday, peaking again from 11 a.m. through 6 p.m.
If driving toward Portland, Wednesday is definitely the busiest day, with stop-and-go traffic at times expected from as early as 9 a.m. and continuing through 7 p.m. Each day though through the holiday weekend is also quite busy. The return trip finds the heaviest traffic volumes on Saturday and Sunday from midday until close to 7 p.m.
There are no travel charts heading north toward Bellingham but expect similar higher traffic volumes to those heading toward Portland during the holiday weekend.
Ferries
If you plan to use the ferry system, keep in mind that Washington State Ferries continues to suffer fewer available vessels and occasional staffing shortages.
Ferry authorities anticipate nearly 300,000 people to use the system during the holiday period. The busiest sailings for vehicles will likely be westbound (or onto an island) Wednesday and Thursday, then eastbound (or off the island) Friday and Saturday.
Be sure to check the ferry schedule on their website or app for the latest available information, and plan for likely long waits at ferry terminals. To reduce waiting, consider taking an early morning or late-night sailing or using transit to walk or bike onto the ferry if possible.
Gas Prices
At the gas pump, prices are about 60 cents lower than at this time last year, according to AAA Travel. Outside of the many urban Western Washington areas, a large number of stations are offering regular gas at under $4 per gallon. The average price of regular gas statewide is about $3.98 a gallon.
Amtrak
Amtrak rail service will also be busy but have enough capacity. Amtrak says the busiest travel days are Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving.
Wherever you travel this holiday weekend, plan to help avoid stress, travel safely and enjoy your holiday weekend with family and friends.
