Thanksgiving travel to be affected by weather

A sprawling high-pressure system currently over New England will gradually shift eastward today, allowing for increasing cloud cover while still ensuring dry conditions for most areas.
However, in southern New England, a developing low-pressure system promises to bring about a complex and impactful weather scenario for Wednesday, while northern New England finds pockets of snow and rain in the forecast tonight and Wednesday.
The higher elevations are expected to see accumulating snow, creating picturesque winter scenes in the Berkshires and Worcester hills, before a transition to heavy rainfall, particularly along the coastal areas.
This weather system is marked by a potent northern jet stream disturbance approaching from the Great Lakes and a new, secondary low forming over the Mid-Atlantic region.
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This setup will contribute to storm development complete with an ample amount of moisture and a brief period of strong, gusty wind near the coast.
The initial shot of rain and snow develops Tuesday evening from suppertime at the New York State line to closer to midnight at the eastern coast, and even later in Maine.
The overnight burst of snow will never materialize for most insider of Interstate 495 and through much of Connecticut outside the hills, into Rhode Island, where a southeast wind blowing off ocean water in the 50s will keep the air warm enough for rain.
Farther inland, with northern extent and with elevation, snow amounts will increase from a coating to an inch near and outside of I-495 into central Massachusetts, to a couple of inches necessitating road treatments along the Route 2 corridor and in northwest Massachusetts and the Berkshires, points north.
In fact, in northern New England, snow will last longer, particularly in the mountains where six inches of snow is expected with winter driving conditions Wednesday but a scenic pre-Thanksgiving landscape for areas like the White Mountains.
This snow is anticipated to transition to rain as warmer air moves in, but not until midday and afternoon in the mountains where the change may instead be to brief sleet or freezing rain before ending Wednesday afternoon.
In fact, most of New England will find both the precipitation and the wind quieting dramatically during the middle to late afternoon, making late day and evening the best time of the day for travel Wednesday.
Looking beyond this impactful system, a prolonged period of dry weather dominates the New England region.
Thanksgiving is expected to be fair and relatively pleasant with a busy breeze but high temperatures near 50, then New England braces for a significant cold snap over the weekend.
Gusty snow showers may punctuate Saturday, particularly in northern New England, ushering in brisk and cooler conditions.
These should remain quick, not an organized storm, as high pressure maintains control, ensuring mainly dry weather through the weekend.
Sunday evening and night into Monday a new system approaches and delivers more snow showers, then next week, with cold air in place, we’ll be on storm watch as an active jet stream wind remains nearby, steering numerous disturbances close to New England.