The National Weather Service (NWS) in Wakefield, Virginia, has introduced a new feature on its website that will help you choose the best route to avoid terrible weather this Thanksgiving.
The new tool works by going to the "Enhance Data Display" section and clicking the green plus sign next to "hazards," which shows all the current watches and warnings for bad weather, according to the Virginian-Pilot. After clicking the "travel hazard forecast" button at the top right corner of the page, you can enter your current location and your destination, as well as what time and day you plan to drive. This will help you to make alternate plans, if need be.
Those who use this tool will also be provided with information regarding wind speed, projected visibility, active warnings, watches and advisories. You can also right-click spots along your route to get up-to-date forecasts.
The new feature has so far shown that the Maryland-Delaware border will see snow around 2:40 p.m. on Wednesday, and that southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina will experience moderate to heavy rain and wind gusts as high as 40 miles per hour, The Virginian-Pilot reported. Sixteen inches of snow was predicted in some areas in Vermont. However, Buffalo, which received up to 7 feet of snow last week, will not be hit by any of this weather, according to meteorologist Andrew Orrison.
Different organizations have been preparing for the harsh weather taking place in the Northeast, with major airlines dropping ticket-change fees for people flying in and out of the area so passengers can get on earlier flights. United said it plans on canceling 100 flights on Wednesday in and out of Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey, and Delta is looking to cancel 57 flights. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is also taking measures to deal with the weather, and officials said it has extra staff and snow removal equipment ready for heavy snowfall. Employees are ready to work 12-hour shifts if needed.
If you're looking for the best way to get to your Thanksgiving dinner, the NWS has posted a video on YouTube that provides instructions on how to use its new tool.
