Tis’ the season for millions of us to travel "over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house" this holiday season, and an active weather pattern could complicate travel plans across the United States. A series of potent storms is expected to hammer the West Coast through Christmas Day while precipitation in the Central and Eastern states will also contribute to travel woes. Whether by car or plane, travelers should brace for delays and hazardous conditions on their way to holiday celebrations.
❄️ SNOWY TRAVEL: A winter storm has left I-80 near Snow Shoe, Pennsylvania, blanketed in snow and ice, creating hazardous driving conditions. https://t.co/C2q5KQjdgy pic.twitter.com/PXR2Yzlmyt
— FOX Weather (@foxweather) December 20, 2024
Farther to the east, the combination of a clipper storm and Arctic air will lead to slippery travel and even snow-covered roads for a time from parts of the Great Lakes to the coastal Northeast into Saturday evening. Even as the snow, wind and related travel delays diminish early in the weekend, the cold air will linger and may set the stage for more wintry trouble next week.

A storm will push across the northern Plains with spotty snow near and north of its track. As that storm reaches the Mississippi Valley by early next week, a moisture flow will cause precipitation to become widespread and significant.
CHRISTMAS EVE STORMS: As a weak front scoots across the state ahead of Santa's arrival, a lot of the state will be in for some soaking rain, a couple storms, and a VERY isolated chance for strong wind.
— Max Crawford 👍 (@KBTXMax) December 21, 2024
For most, scattered showers will give way to some rumbles throughout the day. pic.twitter.com/CNLD06BcQi
Areas of rain and fog with embedded thunderstorms are in store from northeastern Texas to the mid-Mississippi Valley and the Ohio Valley states on Monday. The rain, patchy fog and spotty thunderstorms will shift eastward across the central Gulf coast, Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians on Monday night and the day before Christmas. A batch of rain and thunderstorms may survive the trip to the southern Atlantic coast by Christmas Day.
Christmas Day will feature green and brown grass for much of the U.S. - not exactly what Bing Crosby crooned about! But in northern areas and western elevations, snow already on the ground (or expected to fall) is promising a quintessential white Christmas.… pic.twitter.com/NzYNJUurz0
— National Weather Service (@NWS) December 20, 2024
The trouble spots this weekend and Christmas Day? Look for inclement weather across the West and the Southern Plains, while some of the coldest air of the season briefly slides across parts of the eastern US.

About 3-6 inches of snow fell across eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut.
Snow in nyc @NWSNewYorkNY @nynjpaweather @AWxNYC @BradyBGWX @StormTeam4NY @ABC7NY pic.twitter.com/vvH8kAZBz3
— Weathermaster2 (@WeatherMaster34) December 21, 2024
A plume of moisture may remain over the lower Mississippi and Ohio valleys on Christmas Day as one of the storms moves offshore over the Atlantic. The lingering moisture can lead to areas of rain, drizzle and fog over parts of the South Central states. And if a White Christmas is on your Christmas list this year, here's are some areas you can find the white wintery weather:

For the Palmetto state, the weather will be cold this weekend with a slight warm up as we head towards Christmas Day.

It will remain cold throughout the weekend into Monday in the Upstate with highs near 40 and lows in the 20s. Temperatures should warm up by mid next week for Christmas Eve and Christmas with spotty rain likely to arrive on Christmas Day.
Happy Friday SC Folks! High Temperatures will be in the Mid 50's/Low 60's with Low Temperatures being in the High 20's/Low 40's. Scattered showers are possible for the Upstate near Rock Hill. Have A Great Friday SC!#scwx#WeatherUpdate pic.twitter.com/K8iD5CtVfm
— South Carolina Weather (@360_weather) December 20, 2024
For the Midlands, clear skies and cold temperatures for this last weekend before the holidays. Expect some rain to move in on Christmas night. Temperatures are expected to be below average in South Carolina. Some significantly colder conditions are expected for Christmas. Thursday's conditions are expected to return to sunny with a high above 50 degrees and a low around 37 degrees.
The coldest stretch of the season starts today after Friday's cold front. High temps will run well below average the next few days and wind chills Sunday and Monday morning will be down into the low 20°'s and 10°'s. pic.twitter.com/uD8nu5UGIy
— NWS Columbia (@NWSColumbia) December 21, 2024
Lowcountry weather will be very Christmas-like this weekend with temperatures averaging about 20 degrees below normal. While there is a gradual warm up underway, overall the weather pattern will be tranquil headed for the rest of the holiday week.