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Travel trouble? Indiana’s Thanksgiving weather forecast is looking cold, wet and snowy

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Travel trouble? Indiana’s Thanksgiving weather forecast is looking cold, wet and snowy

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A cross-country storm is bringing a blast of arctic air, rain and possible snow Wednesday to parts of northern Central Indiana. Cold, icy weather around the rest of the country could additionally threaten to snarl traffic and pile up delays at several airports through the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, one of the busiest travel periods.

“Travel disruptions are possible with this system as it moves steadily eastward during the busy Wednesday & Thursday travel rush,” the National Weather Service said in a Tuesday afternoon forecast update.

Here’s what we know about Central Indiana’s weather forecast as of Wednesday.

Snow and rain could impact Thanksgiving travel in Indiana

Forecasters with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis say rain and a mix of snow accumulation are expected Wednesday night for the upper region of Central Indiana, which could potentially cause slick surfaces on some roads.

Single digit wind chills, according to a hazardous weather outlook, could freeze Hoosiers Friday night into the weekend.

Andrew White, a meteorologist for NWS in Central Indiana, said the wet and snowy weather is expected further north of the Indianapolis metro area.

“We’re going to have rain moving in this afternoon, but the heaviest and most widespread rain won’t arrive until Wednesday evening,” White said. “There could be some potentially heavier bands of snow, but again, we’re really expecting that to be more north of Indianapolis with pretty minor impacts here.”

Live weather radar for Central Indiana

Snow could fall at rates as 2-3 inches per hour in some parts of the Midwest, Great Lakes area

Across the Midwest and Great Lakes, communities could see multiple feet of snow pile up. In some parts of Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio and western New York, snow could fall at rates as high as 2 to 3 inches per hour, with the heaviest bands dropping visibility near zero, creating a hazard.

Will heavy snow impact Indianapolis, Indiana?

White doesn’t believe the Indianapolis area will experience heavy snowfall, at least not the multiple feet expected in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes areas.

Meteorologists believe new snow accumulation of less than half of an inch is possible for parts of Central Indiana Wednesday night into Thursday morning. White cautioned those traveling north of Indianapolis this weekend, however, should be mindful of potentially snowier, icier road conditions.

“In Indianapolis, specifically, most of this is not going to stick to the ground,” White said. “But for people traveling further north, there’s going to be some lake effect snow as you get into Michigan.”

A record number of people are traveling for Thanksgiving

Some 79.9 million people will travel 50 miles or more from their homes for Thanksgiving from Tuesday to Monday, according to the American Automobile Association. That represents an increase of 1.7 million over last year and 2 million more than in 2019.

Story with Thanksgiving forecast continues after photo gallery.

What is the Thanksgiving forecast near me?

For those living in Central Indiana, Thanksgiving will be cold and white from potential snowfall. Highs Thursday are expected to be in the low 40s with lows in the mid 20s.

White said wind chills Friday morning could be down into the low teens and get much colder into the weekend.

Weather forecast for Indianapolis, Indiana, per NWS

Forecasters on social media Wednesday said cold air will arrive across Indiana after Thanksgiving. Near zero wind chills are expected by Monday when many Hoosiers will return to work and school. Here’s a look at the seven-day weather forecast for Central Indiana:

🌧️☁️ Wednesday: Rain likely, mainly after 4 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 46. South wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

🌧️❄️ Wednesday night: Rain before 1 a.m., then rain and snow likely. Low around 33. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

☁️🦃 Thursday, Thanksgiving Day: Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 43. North northwest wind 6 to 8 mph.

☁️ Thursday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 25. West northwest wind around 7 mph.

☀️ Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 31. West wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

🌙 Friday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 17. West wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

☀️ Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 29. West wind 6 to 9 mph.

❄️☁️ Saturday night: A 30 percent chance of snow before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. West wind around 6 mph.

☀️ Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 28. West northwest wind 6 to 9 mph.

☁️ Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 15. West wind 5 to 7 mph.

☀️Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 31.

☁️ Monday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 17.

☀️ Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 32.

How drivers can prepare for bad winter weather in Indiana

Staying safe on Indiana’s roads during a winter storm can depend largely on how well you’re prepared. The Indiana Department of Transportation offers these tips:

  • Knowledge: Before leaving home, find out about the driving conditions. Safe drivers know the weather, and their limits. If the weather is bad remember, “ice and snow, take it slow,” or just don’t go.
  • Clear: Remove any snow on your vehicle’s windows, lights, brake lights and signals. Make sure you can see and be seen.
  • Inspect: Check your vehicle’s tires, wiper blades, fluids, lights, belts and hoses. A breakdown is bad on a good day and dangerous on a bad-weather day.
  • Time: Leave plenty of time to reach your destination safely. It’s not worth putting yourself and others in a dangerous situation just to be on time.
  • Kit: Keep a basic winter survival kit in your vehicle, including a flashlight, batteries, blanket, snacks, water, gloves, boots, and a first-aid kit. Load your car with winter travel gear, including tire chains, ice scraper/snowbrush, jumper cables and road flares.

How to drive on icy roads during Thanksgiving travel

The simplest advice for driving on snowy, icy roads is this: don’t.

Even for seasoned motorists, driving in snow or ice can be dangerous and deadly. According to Kelley Blue Book, a study by the American Automobile Association (AAA) found snow-covered roads, and roads coated with ice, slush or water account for nearly 500,000 vehicle crashes and more than 2,000 road deaths yearly.

If you have to drive in icy weather, go slow and drive gently. Car And Driver Magazine recommends operating the steering wheel, accelerator and brakes as smoothly as possible. Slamming on the brakes or gas pedal could put you into a dangerous spin.

For more winter weather driving tips, visit INDOT online.

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USA TODAY network journalists contributed to this article.

John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.

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