BY LUCIE KRISMAN
This year's Thanksgiving will be a wet one for travelers and residents of the Douglas County
area.
Early Wednesday, the National Weather Service reported wind gusts between 40 and 55 mph in eastern Kansas.
Freezing precipitation is expected in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving, which will turn to rain between 10 a.m. and noon and continue moving northward, KSNT meteorologist Matt Miller said.
While northwestern Kansas is still facing poor travel conditions Wednesday after more than 5 inches of snow, the Douglas County area will not experience sleet or freezing rain until Thursday. Areas north of Kansas, however, in Nebraska and South Dakota were already reporting significant impacts to holiday travel.
"People heading north could experience snow for a good portion of Thanksgiving," Miller said.
The Kansas City airport reports nearly all flights remain on time Wednesday, although some Southwest flights were reporting delays.
National Weather Service meteorologist Matt Wolters said people traveling in eastern Kansas Wednesday afternoon and evening should not experience problems.
"If you're traveling today or this evening, it should be fine in terms of roads," he said Wednesday morning.
He encourages those who are traveling elsewhere for Thanksgiving to complete their travel before midnight if they are driving on Wednesday and to avoid travel by car between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving.
"It's going to be a pretty wet Thanksgiving," Miller said. "It's not going to be a lot, just enough to make it slick for a little while."
Downtown Lawrence announced Wednesday morning that it would postpone its Santa rescue and downtown holiday lighting for Friday night due to the expected rain. Eudora still plans to host its Mayor’s Tree Lighting at 6 p.m. Saturday at City Hall.
A recent report from AAA states more than 55 million people will travel by car or plane 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving. According to AAA, this Thanksgiving marks the second-highest travel volume in 19 years.
Wolters advises people traveling in stormy conditions to take extra precaution, let their family members know when to expect them and to bring supplies like blankets and snacks in case they experience delays.
"Plan ahead and keep up to date with the current forecasts," Wolters said. "Make sure that your family and loved ones know your travel plans and some kind of estimated time of arrival."
For staying informed about weather predictions for the holiday, visit the Weather Prediction Center website.
Reach reporter Lucie Krisman at eudoratimes@gmail.com.
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