NWS Issues Significant Weather Warning for Upcoming U.S. Flights

Millions of Americans are traveling for the holidays, and many will take to the skies to fly across state and county lines to se their friends, families and loved ones over the next few weeks.

As Americans prepare to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another, some of the largest airports in the nation will welcome travelers in droves. The TSA and other agencies are prepared for a busy travel season and have contingencies in place, but no one can out-plan inclement weather.

The National Weather Service has mapped out which airports will be affected most by the weather set to hit the country over this busy travel period, and travelers heading to the areas in red are urged to plan accordingly.

NWS Map Focuses on Several Major Airports

The NWS' map says that impacts are "likely" in four major airports set to deal with inclement weather, and that each airport is set to face its own difficulties.

Ceilings (cloud base height) and visibility are concerns in Seattle, San Francisco/Oakland, and Charlotte. Seattle is also dealing with icing, while Minneapolis is also set to deal with turbulence.

Several other airports around the country have been given a label of "impacts possible," including major travel and transfer hubs like Chicago's O'Hare and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson. Dallas, Houston, Salt Lake City, Denver and Detroit were also listed as cities and airports that could deal with possible problems.

Some of the issues that travelers and pilots could be forced to navigate include wind gusts and cloud clearance issues, as well as the aforementioned icing, turbulence and visibility concerns.

Which Regions Will Be Affected Most?

A significant blizzard is underway in the Pacific Northwest, with several dozens of feet of snow possible in certain areas. Power outages have already been reported, and winter weather advisories are in effect for much of the region, extending into the Dakotas and the Great Plains.

A cold front is also expected to reach the midwest and northeast as the calendar shifts to the weekend, and it's set to bring major lake-effect snow in certain areas. The same cold air shifting in from the plains is set to affect areas like Michigan, Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.

Lake-effect snow is also possible in areas like New York and New Jersey, with New York governor Kathy Hochul issuing a statement on a potential three feet or more of snow in the state.

Widespread travel disruptions are likely in these areas, with some states prepared to enter a state of emergency in an effort to reduce non-essential travel.

With millions of Americans ready to move throughout the country ahead of one of the final working weeks of the year, we'll see how the potential delays affect air travel.