Rain, strong winds expected in NYC ahead of Thanksgiving holiday

Steady rain will start Tuesday evening and continue into Wednesday morning and taper off later that afternoon, according to David Stark, a meteorologist for New York National Weather Service.

“It does appear to be a dry and chilly Thanksgiving, but days leading up to it, the weather in the New York City area is going to be wet,” Stark said.

Wednesday’s weather will be breezy, with wind gusts between 25 to 30 miles per hour, according to Stark, who added that the strongest winds would occur in the evening.

The Tuesday and Wednesday before the holiday and the Sunday afterward are typically the busiest and most expensive air travel days of the Thanksgiving travel season, according to AAA.

The northern and western parts of New York state are also bracing for a potential snowstorm. On Friday, Gov. Kathy Hochul cautioned residents and travelers to monitor local forecasts and prepare accordingly.

“I just want to remind everybody to be vigilant. We're expecting freezing rain, snow accumulations, high winds – everything you would not want to see as you're heading out for your holiday travels,” she said. “But the warnings are out there, and I'm asking everyone to heed them at this time.”

NYC Emergency Management said it will work closely with the National Weather Service to monitor the potentially inclement weather on Tuesday and Wednesday.

According to AAA, 55.4 million people will be traveling 50 miles or more over the Thanksgiving holiday, making it the third highest volume of travelers since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000. The Transportation Security Administration, meanwhile, expects to screen 30 million passengers over the Thanksgiving travel season, which stretches from Friday, Nov. 17 through Tuesday, Nov. 28.

Over the next week, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey expects 8.5 million travelers to use its bridges and tunnels and nearly 3.1 million passengers will use its airports. . The agency anticipates a record number of travelers this holiday season because of flexible work schedules becoming more common, which in turn helps lengthen travel periods.

To accommodate travelers, the Port Authority will suspend all non-emergency lane closures through 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 27.