NORTH SOUND, NOV. 24: The week of Thanksgiving has arrived. Across the nation, close to 82 million Americans are anticipated to travel for Thanksgiving, a new record, according to the American Automobile Association Travel forecast. Just shy of 90% of holiday travelers will go by car. The remainder will fly, take Amtrak or a bus. Here is what you need to know before you go.
Weather
In the North Sound and much of Western Washington, rain will be the rule for much of the week. There will be a dry window of opportunity starting Monday, Nov. 24, night into Tuesday, Nov. 25, afternoon. After that, a Pacific weather system is expected to spread rain inland later Tuesday into Wednesday. Another wet system will follow on Thanksgiving Day into Black Friday.
Over the holiday weekend, however, a change in the overall weather pattern will result in a cooling and drying trend. By the end of the holiday weekend and heading into early December, temperatures will likely be the coldest of the season thus far. Nighttime temperatures are anticipated to drop into the 30s, with some outlying areas like Arlington and Monroe falling below freezing.
High temperatures during the week will start in the 40s on Monday and Tuesday, warming to the lower to mid-50s on Wednesday through Friday. Then the cooling trend will get underway over the weekend with highs dropping into the 40s.
The Cascades and Eastern Washington
If you have plans to head to Eastern Washington, Monday will have some showers in the Cascades with the snow level around 2,500 feet. Total snow amounts will generally be light, only a few inches. As the Tuesday weather system arrives, the snow level will rise to 5,500 feet by Wednesday. Cool easterly winds through the passes may keep the snow levels near the passes with the possibility of brief freezing rain, mainly Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
Snow levels will remain relatively high through Thanksgiving before falling to near 4,000 feet Friday and below over the holiday weekend. The best window of opportunity to cross the Cascades with few worries will be Monday night and Tuesday morning. By the weekend, conditions will be drying out with only a small threat of snow despite the cooler temperatures.
East of the Cascades, generally dry weather is anticipated on Monday and Tuesday. The incoming weather systems on the west side will spread some rain east of the mountains on Wednesday and Thanksgiving. By the weekend, conditions will dry out and cool down with highs struggling to reach 40 degrees and lows dropping into the 20s.
The Rest of the Nation
If flying elsewhere in the country, an active weather system will likely impact airports as it moves from the middle of the country on Tuesday to the eastern seaboard on Wednesday. Check your flight arrangements in case of any delays.
Conditions will clear for Thanksgiving Day and Friday. After that, much of the country will also experience a rather dramatic drop in temperatures as colder air surges south from Canada through the holiday weekend.
Air Travel
Snohomish County’s Seattle-Paine Field passenger terminal will be busier than normal, but will have far less congestion than Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
But at Sea-Tac Airport, authorities anticipate Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday will be the busiest Thanksgiving travel days. Sunday alone will have close to 190,000 passengers move through the airport.
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 and 5 p.m., and again during the evening rush between 9 and 11 p.m.
TSA security checkpoints will be busiest from 5 to 10 a.m., 2 to 5 p.m., and again from 9 to 11 p.m. Remember that the new checkpoint 6 on the north end of the terminal recently opened to help with the holiday rush.
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.
Parking and drop-offs/pickups of passengers will also be challenging at the airport. To help avoid the crowds at the curb, travelers can use both the departure and arrival lanes, as well as Sound Transit Light Rail, with service that starts at the Lynnwood transit site, reaching the airport in a cost-effective and timely manner.
Driving
Most holiday travelers will be on area roadways. To help avoid delays and frustration in traffic, plan to travel before or after the following peak times based upon the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Thanksgiving weekend travel charts.
For those heading east over Stevens Pass, the heaviest travel days are expected to be on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day itself. Returning across Stevens Pass finds the heaviest travel days to be on Saturday and Sunday, peaking in both directions from 10 a.m. thru 7 p.m.
Going over Snoqualmie Pass on I-90, heading to the eastside is also 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. thru 6 p.m.
If heading north toward Bellingham, the WSDOT I-5 charts show Wednesday is clearly the busiest day, starting near 10 a.m. and continuing through 7 p.m. Return traffic peaks on both Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. thru 7 p.m.
If driving toward Portland, Wednesday is also definitely the busiest day, with stop-and-go traffic at times expected from as early as 9 a.m., continuing through 7 p.m. Each day 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.
Ferries
Ferry authorities anticipate nearly 300,000 people will use the system during the holiday period. The busiest sailings for vehicles will likely be westbound (or onto an island) on Wednesday and Thursday, then eastbound (or off an island) Saturday and Sunday. Both directions are also anticipated to be busy on Friday.
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 use transit to walk or bike onto the ferry if possible.
Gas Prices
At the gas pump, prices are about 20 cents higher than at this time last year, according to AAA Travel. The average price of regular gas statewide is about $4.18 a gallon. Outside of the many urban Western Washington and coastal areas, a number of stations are offering regular gas at under $4 per gallon, including Skagit and Whatcom counties.
Amtrak and Bus Service
Amtrak rail service will also be busy, but it has enough capacity. Amtrak says the busiest travel days are Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving. Bus lines also report similar busy time periods.
Wherever you travel this holiday weekend, plan ahead to help avoid stress, travel safely, and enjoy your holiday weekend with family and friends.
