An early look at Christmas travel

Yesterday's blog entry dealt with the chances of snowfall for Christmas in various parts of the eastern United States, but there's another big question for many people ... what will travel conditions be like?

Christmas isn't quite the travel holiday that Thanksgiving is, but millions of people will be flying or driving a significant distance over a period of nearly two weeks.

The computer models have been hinting at the development of a big storm system next week. According to the scenario, the low pressure system would develop over Texas on Monday and then follow a path northeast, into the Great Lakes and then across northern New England. That path would mean accumulating snow in parts of Iowa, western and northern Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Tuesday and especially Wednesday would be the rough travel days, and the storm would bring heavy rain to parts of the South and the Ohio River valley.

But the computers have been waffling a bit on the forecasts, so this qualifies as an "iffy" situation.

So, for entertainment purposes only (we'll have a much better idea by the weekend), here is the forecast for the week leading up to Christmas, and then a few days afterward.

CHARLOTTE, CAROLINAS and SOUTHEAST

Monday through Friday, Dec. 23: A mild week, with daytime highs from 60 to the mid 60s. Showers or a steadier rain are possible Tuesday (western Tennessee and Mississippi) and Wednesday (Carolinas, Georgia, eastern Tennessee), and another round of showers is possible on the 23rd.

Christmas Eve: Sunny, with highs in the low 50s.

Christmas Day: Same as Christmas Eve.

Dec. 26-28: Turning colder, with highs in the 40s. Some forecasts hint at rainy conditions on the 27th (the day of the Belk Bowl) or the 28th.

GREAT LAKES, MIDWEST

Monday through Friday, Dec. 23: It's a chilly week, but high temperatures are seasonal, in the 40s to near 50 (in places like St. Louis and Cincinnati). Rain spreads across the area Wednesday, and more rain is possible Friday. Snow could fall Friday in places like Milwaukee and Chicago.

Christmas Eve: A rain-snow mix in the eastern Lakes and near the Ohio River, but snow could fall in places like Detroit and Chicago. High temperatures in the 30s.

Christmas Day: Turning sunny but cold, with highs in the 20s (north) to mid 30s (south). Snow showers could still be possible in Cleveland, Buffalo and Pittsburgh.

Dec. 26-28: Becoming clear and turning milder, with highs in the 40s by the 28th.

MID-ATLANTIC (New York, Philadelphia, Washington-Baltimore, Boston)

Monday through Friday, Dec. 23: A mild week, with daytime highs in the 40s (Boston) and 50s elsewhere. But rain arrives by the 23rd.

Christmas Eve: Sunny, with highs in the low 40s (mid to upper 40s in DC and Baltimore).

Christmas Day: Same as Christmas Eve.

Dec. 26-28: Cold on Dec. 26, with rain or a rain-snow mix on the 27th. Then warmer and clearing for the 28th.

FLORIDA

Monday through Friday, Dec. 23: A beautiful week, with partly sunny skies and daily highs in the mid and upper 70s.

Christmas Eve: A cold front brings rain and cooler weather, with highs in the upper 60s.

Christmas Day: Sunny but chilly, with highs in the 60s.

Dec. 26-28: Becoming warmer, and it could reach the 80s by the 28th.