Thanksgiving Weather: Millions of people are all set to meet their families in different parts of the country on Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving. As several people are also ready to travel to nearby regions with loved ones, let’s check weather conditions. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), heavy lake-effect snow and gusty winds, including some localized blizzard conditions, will continue into Thanksgiving Day across the Great Lakes. The heavy lake-effect snow will continue from Michigan to New York through the end of the week and the weather will turn much colder for the eastern half of the country. January like weather conditions Many areas will feel more like January for many of these same areas, with highs running 5 to 15 degrees below the late November average, and even more in some cases, the forecaster says. Weather affecting travel? The colder weather pattern will also include heavy snow downwind of the Great Lakes through Friday night, with some areas getting more than a foot of accumulation in the more persistent lake effect. This will severely affect travel from now until early Saturday, and some roads may become impassable at times. The NWS said that pleasant mild weather experienced Wednesday from the Southeast U.S. to New England will be replaced by a much colder air mass from Canada in time for Thanksgiving Day and the coming weekend. It’s a cold day in the city, with temperatures in the 40s, but wind gusts between 25 mph (40 kph) and 30 mph (48 kph) will make it feel colder, AP reports citing David Stark, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in New York. Out West, a compact and well-organized low pressure system approaches the coasts of Washington and Oregon in the afternoon and evening of Thanksgiving Day, then moves inland over the Intermountain West and Rockies on Friday. “A few inches of rain is possible for the windward terrain of Washington and Oregon, and 1-2 feet of snow for the higher elevations of the Cascades and slightly lighter totals for the Idaho and Montana mountains. Improved conditions return to this region early Saturday.” Winter Storm As a surge of arctic air from Canada meets the shortwave energy, the next major winter storm begins to develop over the northern plains on Friday. Widespread moderate to heavy snow is forecast from Montana to the western Great Lakes, and a wintry mix south of the snowfall axis from Missouri to Indiana. “The potential exists for 6 to 12 inches of snow accumulation for the most affected areas, and the Weather Forecast has issued Key Messages regarding this next event. Severe travel disruptions are likely for much of the northern Plains and Midwest late Friday into Saturday,” NWS said. According to the Storm Prediction Center, a few thunderstorms will be possible over central/southern FL through the afternoon, but low-level drying will eventually stabilize the air mass and end the convective threat after dark.