Confetti flies through the air in Times Square just after the annual ball drop January 01, 2023 in New York City. (Image credit: Times Square, NYC. Jan. 1, 2023.)
As the holiday season winds down, millions of travelers will hit the roads and airports for New Year’s Eve celebrations and to head back home. Here’s the day-by-day breakdown of what to expect.
Saturday: The atmospheric river keeps flowing
The latest in a series of atmospheric rivers will bring even more rain to the Pacific Northwest on Saturday. Snow will be widespread from the Cascades to the northern Rockies, but only spots far away from the ocean, like Montana and Idaho, will get any fresh powder. Another storm system spanning from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast will bring mostly rain. The biggest trouble spots with this storm will be in the Southeast, where thunderstorms and embedded severe weather and flash flooding are likely, and in southern New England, where freezing rain is possible.
Sunday: Rinse and repeat
The same two areas of the country that were plagued by rain on Saturday will be soggy again on Sunday. Travel delays are possible at major airport hubs like San Francisco, Seattle and Atlanta due to the rain, and in the Southeast, thunderstorms are possible. Most of the country will remain milder than average, though, so icy spots will be confined to northern New England in the east and the Northern Rockies in the west.
Monday: Precipitation pushes East
The wet weather that’s been plaguing the Pacific Northwest becomes less intense and moves east, bringing snow showers from Idaho to Colorado. Accumulating snow is possible in the Northern Plains as well. Meanwhile, the system that delivered rain and storms in the east begins to push out to sea. Above-average temperatures continue east of the Rockies, and temperatures in the 80s are likely for highs in Texas.
Tuesday (New Year’s Eve): Raindrops at the ball drop?
The same system that brought some snow to the upper Plains will quickly move into the Ohio River Valley and Great Lakes states on Tuesday. It will remain too warm for snow, even at nightfall as precipitation moves toward the I-95 corridor. The throngs who will descend on Times Square for the New Year’s Eve celebration should keep a close eye on the forecast as showers, thunder and gusty winds are possible before the countdown clock hits midnight.
Wednesday (New Year’s Day): A breezy start to 2025
Rain showers remain possible in NYC through the early part of New Year’s Day, but this fast-moving system will cause gusty winds in New England by the afternoon. Another system approaching the Pacific Northwest will also bring strong winds from Washington to Nevada, along with another round of heavy rain and high elevation snow. It could be a bumpy ride in the air for travelers in and out of major hubs like Boston’s Logan and O’Hare in Chicago.
No matter where you are in the USA, you can always get the updated forecast from your local Weather Forecast Office by going to weather.gov and typing your city or ZIP code. Follow your local NOAA National Weather Service forecast office on social media for the latest weather information in your area.
