By Emily Mae Czachor
Updated Nov. 25, 2025
Multiple winter systems moving through the central U.S. are posing travel hazards over the Thanksgiving holiday, with forecasts calling for rain, heavy snow and strong winds from the Plains into the Northeast. Weather officials said two separate systems would impact travel: one pushing wet weather from the Ohio Valley into the Northeast, and another driving heavy snow and high winds across a northern midwestern corridor from the Plains through the Great Lakes into Wednesday.
Winter-storm warnings were posted across parts of North Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Grand Forks, N.D., remained under a warning through Tuesday night, with forecasters calling for as much as 6 inches of snow and gusts up to 35 mph. In the Twin Cities, snowfall rates had already topped 1 inch per hour, and gusts near 45 mph raised the risk of blizzard-like conditions. The Twin Cities were expected to see the tail end of a two-part system that began Monday evening, with some locations forecast to pick up 5 to 8 inches of snow by Wednesday morning.
Chicago was relatively mild early Tuesday before light rain and fog moved in ahead of a cold front due Wednesday. Temperatures were expected to drop below freezing by Thanksgiving and remain chilly through Friday. Upstate New York experienced damaging winds Tuesday, while downstate areas, including New York City, prepared for rain later in the day that could complicate travel plans. Cold air and gusty winds were forecast to settle in across the region on Thursday.
The heaviest snow totals were expected closest to the Canadian border, where some spots could see 20 to 30 inches. Strong winds across the upper Midwest, possibly exceeding 40 mph, could disrupt travel on major interstates including I-29, I-90 and I-94.
Airports that could face delays or disruptions include Chicago’s airports, Duluth, Fargo, Minneapolis–St. Paul and Pierre, S.D. Several metropolitan areas were also in line for rain, including Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, Cincinnati, Nashville, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C.
Rain and wet roads could slow drivers on I-20, I-40, I-65, I-75 and I-95 and lead to delays for air travelers at affected hubs such as Indianapolis and Memphis. Chicago-area airports were preparing for an especially busy holiday travel period, with about 3.6 million passengers expected this week, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.
Travelers were urged to check forecasts and airline or road condition updates before heading out, allow extra time for delays, and be prepared for rapidly changing conditions, especially across the northern Plains and upper Midwest.
Nikki Nolan, CBS News meteorologist, contributed to this report.