Rain may slow Thanksgiving travel across part of southern US

While the southwestern United States is likely to have the most favorable weather conditions across the nation for Thanksgiving travel, rain may cause some delays farther east.

In the days prior to and during Thanksgiving, waves of cold air will sweep across the Midwest and into the Eastern states. This will lead to wintry conditions and delays at times from the Midwest to the Northeast.

Most of the time, the weather across the Southwestern states will smile on travel conditions.

Only a brief period of rain and snow showers is forecast for the central and southern Rockies to end this week.

"No major storms are foreseen across the nation for next Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day," according to AccuWeather Long-Range Meteorologist Evan Duffey.

However, this does not mean that dry weather is in store everywhere.

Minor disruptions related to rain, thunderstorms and fog may riddle some areas from the South Central to the Southeastern states during the middle days of next week. Indications are that a weak storm will form and linger near the Gulf of Mexico next week.

Rainfall is likely to fall short of summertime torrential downpours in the region.

"Since the storm is likely to be weak, rainfall produced in most cases should be more of a nuisance," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski. "Motorists will need their wipers due to blowing spray and should allow extra distance between vehicles when on the highway."

The weaker the storm ends up being, the farther south the rain is likely to be held. Downpours are more likely to be concentrated toward the source of the moisture, near the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

"The biggest concern I see is if low clouds and rain delay flights at the start of the day at one of the major airports, such as Houston, next Wednesday," Pydynowski said. "Such a delay first thing in the morning might just snowball and affect other flights in the region and across the nation as the day progresses."

Downpours may extend eastward across the Interstate-10 corridor from Tuesday through Thanksgiving Day . It is possible a period of rain hugs the Georgia and Carolina I-95 corridor for a time Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.