The day before Thanksgiving is regarded as one of the busiest travel days of the year. Central Illinois drivers may encounter a light wintry mix as they head to their holiday destination.
The National Weather Service [NWS] in Lincoln says rain is expected during the day Wednesday and it could mix with snow. The rain-snow mix may return after 9 p.m. but little or no snow accumulation is expected.
The weather service says the snow should melt on contact with the pavement in most areas, unless it comes down at a much faster rate than expected.
In a social media post, NWS said the risk of more than one inch of snow is between 30-40%, and would be mainly confined to an area between the Illinois River and Interstate 70 in southern Illinois.
“If you plan on traveling Wednesday evening, be sure to check the forecast today and tonight for updates. We are constantly getting new data that prompts us to update the forecast,” the weather service said.
Thanksgiving Day is expected to be sunny with high temperatures in the mid to upper 30s. Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing for the rest of the weekend, while snow could return on Saturday.
Little or no snowfall expected for most of central Illinois Wednesday from a mix of rain and snow, but localized heavier bands of snow could produce amounts over an inch, mainly around Bloomington, Champaign, and Danville. #ilwx pic.twitter.com/Yjj822rMT6
— NWS Lincoln IL (@NWSLincolnIL) November 26, 2024
