Weather

Americans hitting the road for Thanksgiving could see severe weather

Millions of Americans are ready to hit the road for Thanksgiving. But some states could see storms, hail and even tornadoes over the next two days.

Americans hitting the road for Thanksgiving could see severe weather
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SMS

Rain, thunderstorms, hail — and even tornadoes — over the next two days could be a challenge for millions of Americans hitting the road for Thanksgiving. 

In Arizona, a tornado on Sunday ripped through Star Valley, which is located northeast of Phoenix. It spun up to 105 mph as residents ran for safety. Almost two dozen homes were damaged, but no injuries have been reported.

Residents of Utqiagvik, Alaska, formerly known as Barrow, will need their headlights on when they head out, as the small town in the Arctic Circle has entered “polar night,” a phenomenon that will bring 66 days with no sun to the region. The last sun of the year set on Saturday in the nation’s northernmost town, and will rise again on Jan. 23, 2024.

The Midwest will experience rain on Monday, from Minnesota all the way down to Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana. Kansas and parts of Missouri will also see rainfall.

All of that rain is going to slide east, and bring even bigger problems on Tuesday.

For Tuesday, a big chunk of the country will be good to hit the road. That includes states as far west as California and Oregon, going across as far as north and South Dakota and Nebraska, and as far south as Texas.

States from Michigan down to Florida's panhandle are in the "hazard zone" Tuesday, which will bring strong storms, lightning and some big delays at airports.

Regions from Upstate New York to Jacksonville, Florida, will be in the "caution zone" Tuesday, meaning people may need to prepare some extra time for travel.

On Monday, 25 million Americans across the Gulf, from east Texas to central Alabama, will experience severe weather. Central Louisiana and Mississippi are at the highest risk for strong thunderstorms and hail, and will see some tornadoes Monday evening. 

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