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Traveling for Christmas? Ohio weather could snarl your drive. See the forecast

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Traveling for Christmas? Ohio weather could snarl your drive. See the forecast

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Planning a trip over the river and through the woods for Christmas or Hanukkah this year?

While your horse may know the way, will the weather slow the journey to a trot?

Here’s a look at the holiday travel weather forecast.

What’s the weather forecast for holiday travel in 2024? Possible snow in Ohio, Detroit, Pittsburgh

According to the Weather Channel holiday forecast, significant snow is expected from North Dakota to Wisconsin through Thursday, Dec. 19, and is expected to slow down the interstates in those areas. The Weather Channel recommends delaying any travel until Friday or the weekend, when the weather will improve.

In the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Appalachian regions, lighter snow is expected on Friday. Bursts of snow may tie up the interstates in the Northeast on Friday. Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York and Pittsburgh could have weather-related delays through Friday night.

Moving into the weekend, the West Coast will be wet, with snow at higher elevations. Seattle, Portland and San Francisco airports may also have delays. West of the Mississippi River, temperatures will range from the 40s in the Rockies to the 60s and 70s from Texas through California.

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Cincinnati among new trouble spots in travel forecast for Christmas Eve and Day

If you’re planning to travel closer to Christmas, the Weather Channel’s forecast shows some trouble spots developing.

Rain with a light mix of snow is in the forecast in the Central and Eastern United States, and also could affect the Great Lakes through the Northeast interior, and could impact travel on Interstates 35, 44, 64 and 70 from Texas to the lower Great Lakes. Cincinnati, Dallas, Indianapolis, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, S​eattle and St. Louis are most likely to see delays close to the holiday.

On the West Coast and through the Rockies, a Pacific storm will push through with rain and snow.

Temperatures are expected to warm up on Christmas, bringing highs in the 30s and 40s along the northern tier and 70s to near 80 in spots for the southern tier.

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AAA forecasts record number of holiday travelers in 2024, offers road safety tip

AAA projects 119.3 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home during the year-end holidays, which it defines as from Saturday, Dec. 21 to Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2024. It forecasts 107 million people will travel by car (up from 104.5 million in 2023), 7.85 million by air (up from 7.5 million) and 4.47 million will travel by other means, such as a train, bus or cruise (up from 4.08 million).

With the extra 2.5 million travelers on the road this season, AAA offers a few safety tips:

  • Follow posted speed limits: Driving 80 mph instead of 75 mph over 100 miles saves only 5 minutes. Even minor increases in speed can make crashes deadly. 
  • Drive only when alert and refreshed: Driving on 4 or 5 hours of sleep is as dangerous as driving with a 0.08 BAC (legal intoxication).
  • Slow down, move over: A roadside worker is killed every other week in the U.S. When you see an emergency responder on the side of the road assisting a stranded driver, reduce your speed or change lanes if possible.
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