Christmas weather updates: Forecast-related travel delays expected

Airline dashboard helps travelers navigate cancelations and delays after American Airlines issues

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has introduced the Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard, a tool designed to provide travelers with easy access to information about the services U.S. airlines offer to mitigate inconveniences caused by controllable cancellations and delays.

This dashboard covers the 10 largest U.S. airlines, including their regional partners, which together account for approximately 96% of domestic air traffic. Passengers can use the dashboard to learn which services an airline will provide in the event of a controllable delay or cancellation, such as maintenance or crew issues. It also allows passengers to compare the commitments of various airlines when choosing a flight.

The DOT holds airlines accountable for honoring the commitments in their customer service plans, ensuring that passengers receive appropriate care during delays or cancellations. These commitments, however, do not affect passengers’ entitlement to refunds if a flight is canceled or significantly changed.

In cases of delays or cancellations, passengers can inquire with airline staff about potential compensation, such as meals, hotel accommodations, or time compensation. The DOT is also working on a rulemaking that could require airlines to provide such compensation. For more information on refund entitlements and passenger rights, travelers can visit the DOT’s dedicated pages on refunds and disability rights.

White Christmas to be expected, AccuWeather predicts

AccuWeather has predicted that more towns and cities across the U.S. are likely to experience a white Christmas this year compared to 2023. For a Christmas to be considered “white,” there must be at least one inch of snow on the ground on Christmas morning. AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok noted that while the East Coast will see fluctuating temperatures ahead of the holidays, areas around the Great Lakes, including Erie, Pennsylvania, are expected to have snow on the ground.

The forecast suggests that higher elevations and regions typically known for a white Christmas are more likely to see snow, but the key factor for lower elevations will depend on temperatures during Christmas Eve and Day. The likelihood of a white Christmas is low along the I-95 corridor, including major cities like Boston, New York City, and Washington, D.C., although there could be some rain or snow on Christmas morning.

Pastelok also highlighted that the recent up-and-down temperatures have made it challenging for ski resorts in the Northeast to maintain snowpack. However, conditions are expected to improve later in December, with colder air returning for better snowmaking opportunities between Christmas and New Year’s.

American Airline announces 5 new routes for 2025

American Airlines has announced five new routes that will operate once per week beginning in the summer of 2025.

The new destinations serviced by the airline will be located in Canada as well as in the Rockies. The five new flights will operate on Saturdays only, with three heading to Canada and two heading to Montana.

The new routes operate on a seasonal basis. American Airlines‘ new route from Chicago to/from Halifax will run from June 21 to October 24, 2025. Its flight Dallas to/from Quebec City will operate between August 9 and November 1.

Read the full story by Brian Dillon on Newsweek.

You may be able to get a refund if your American Airlines flight was delayed this morning

If your American Airlines flight was affected by the recent outage, you may be eligible for a refund.

New Department of Transportation rules require airlines to provide full refunds, even for non-refundable fares, if a flight is canceled and you choose not to travel.

Additionally, refunds must be offered if a flight is delayed by more than three hours for domestic flights or six hours for international flights, provided you opt not to continue with your travel plans.

Over 700 delays across the U.S.

There have been 703 delays across the U.S. today along with six cancelations, according to FlightAware’s MiseryMap.

New York’s major airports—JFK, EWR, and LGA—have seen 102 delays and one cancelation while Charlotte Douglass International Airport has seen 126 delays and one flight cancelation.

Thunderstorms possible Thursday across central and eastern Texas

Severe thunderstorms are expected to develop Thursday across central and eastern Texas, extending into far western Louisiana and possibly the ArkLaTex and southeast Oklahoma, according to the National Weather Service. A southern-stream shortwave trough moving northeastward across Texas will trigger surface cyclogenesis in North Texas, increasing moisture across much of east and southeast Texas. This will lead to scattered showers and thunderstorms, especially in the morning before severe weather risks intensify into the afternoon.

The highest risk for severe weather is expected from midday to early afternoon, primarily along the I-35 and I-45 corridors in Texas, the NWS reported. Strong atmospheric instability, with dewpoints in the low 60s and up to 1250 J/kg of MLCAPE, will fuel the storms. This, combined with strong deep-layer and low-level shear, could lead to a mix of bowing segments and semi-discrete supercells capable of producing damaging winds and tornadoes.

The severe risk will likely diminish by late evening, but isolated severe storms could persist into parts of Louisiana and the ArkLaMiss area overnight.

Number one snowiest city in America revealed

The top snowiest town or city in the United States, according to The Weather Channel’s list, is Valdez, Alaska which receives just over 325 inches of snow on average every year.

It’s located east of Anchorage, in an area which often hosts “Aleutian low” low pressure system, and is surrounded by mountains .

The combination means snowfall is typically heavy, with a record snowiest day on Jan. 16, 1990, receiving 47.5 inches.

The deepest drifts recorded were 135 inches, or over 11ft, on April 15, 1929, meaning that even someone standing on someone else’s shoulders may have struggled to see over the snow.

Weather won’t stop Santa

The NORAD Santa Tracker has announced that there is “good weather for flying” today, despite the conditions reported across the U.S.

Amtrak cancels trains between Washington and Boston due to ‘issues’

Amtrak has announced the cancellation of Acela Trains 2154 and 2173 due to mechanical and equipment issues. The affected routes were between Washington, D.C. (WAS) and Boston (BOS).

Customers with reservations on these trains are being advised to rebook on the next available service.

Amtrak has apologized for the inconvenience caused and is working to accommodate affected passengers as quickly as possible.

Winter weather warnings in 14 states as 18 inches of snow to hit

Winter weather advisories were in place for at least 14 states across the U.S. from the National Weather Service (NWS) early on Tuesday, with up to 18 inches of snow forecast for parts of the country.

NWS winter weather advisories are issued “for any amount of freezing rain, or when two to four inches of snow (alone or in combination with sleet and freezing rain), is expected to cause a significant inconvenience.”

Millions of Americans are expected to travel for the holiday season this year.

With Christmas fast approaching, many Americans are likely already en route to their destinations, making the weather forecast for the coming days especially important for travel plans.

Read the full article by Joe Edwards on Newsweek.

White Christmases becoming rarer as winter warms across the U.S.

While many dream of a white Christmas, the reality is that such scenes are becoming increasingly rare. Winter is now the fastest-warming season in the U.S., with significant warming “hot spots” observed in New England and the Upper Midwest.

According to Elizabeth Burakowski, a research assistant professor of earth sciences at the University of New Hampshire, warmer temperatures are shifting the ratio of precipitation, with more of it falling as rain instead of snow. As temperatures continue to rise, the trend is expected to worsen, further reducing the likelihood of snow on Christmas Day in many parts of the country.

Holiday weather outlook: travel disruptions expected Christmas Eve and Day

According to The Weather Channel, weather conditions are likely to cause travel disruptions across the U.S. this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

In the Northeast, light snow is expected to continue into Christmas Eve, with accumulations generally under a couple of inches, reaching parts of the New York City Tri-state and southern New England. There’s also a chance of patchy light freezing rain or drizzle across the mid-Atlantic, including northern Virginia, southeast Pennsylvania, and southern New Jersey, before temperatures warm above freezing during the day.

In the South, rain showers and thunderstorms will affect areas from eastern Texas to Missouri on Christmas Eve, with the rain spreading across the lower Mississippi Valley and Ohio Valley on Christmas Day. While severe storms are unlikely, heavy rain and wet roads will be the primary concern for travelers.

Out West, rain and mountain snow are expected to impact California, Oregon, and Washington on Christmas Eve, with light precipitation in Southern California. A more significant storm will bring wind and rain to the Pacific Northwest and northwest California Christmas afternoon and night, with localized flash flooding possible in these regions.

Potential airport weather delays are expected at major hubs including San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston on Christmas Eve, and in Seattle, Salt Lake City, Houston, and New Orleans on Christmas Day.

FAA cancels American Airlines ground stop as airline continues boarding processes

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has canceled the nationwide ground stop for American Airlines and its subsidiaries, allowing operations to resume. The ground stop was imposed earlier due to a technical issue affecting the airline’s systems.

American Airlines has confirmed that flights are now boarding, and the disruption has come to an end. While the airline had experienced significant delays, normal operations are now in progress. Passengers are advised to check their flight status for any remaining updates.