Midweek Weather Maker Could Snarl Travel Across Central and Eastern U.S.

While the temperatures are finally starting to climb across the central and eastern U.S., that does not mean that the weather will be smooth sailing this week. A developing storm is forecast to snarl travel in some parts of the region by the middle of the week as it generates areas of fog, ice, rain, and isolated snow showers. Here is a look at what you need to know.

New Weather Maker Rolling from West to East Across the U.S.

Travelers heading out early for Christmas or Hanukkah may encounter difficulties on the roads and in the skies this week as a new storm system takes aim at the central and eastern U.S. The inclement conditions will fire up as many universities break for the holidays and students attempt to head home. The latest estimate from AAA predicts that a record 122.4 million people are planning to travel over 50 miles from their home between December 20 and January 1.

A persistent train of winter storms over the last few weeks has blanketed a large swath of the Plains, the Midwest, the Great Lakes, the Northeast, and New England with significant snow. While warmer weather is on the horizon for the eastern half of the country this week, the storm that is currently dumping heavy rain over the Pacific Northwest is forecast to track into the nation's heartland by the middle of the week.