Hazardous Weather Outlook In NJ For Stormy Travel Weekend

Tens of thousands of drivers will be fighting strong winds and bad storms as the first Thanksgiving travelers hit the New Jersey roads this weekend.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook as "fast-paced" storms are expected to to hit the region, and 45-mph wind gusts and heavy rain are probable. The wind gusts are probable along and behind a strong cold front, according to the National Weather Service.

The quick-hitting storms will cause slowdowns across New Jersey and Pennsylvania as nearly 51 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles away from home for Thanksgiving, according to the American Automobile Association.

"Weather systems are now more likely to keep moving along, rather than stall across the northern half of the nation over the next week to 10 days," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams said in a release.

Some areas, such as western Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley, could have some snow or a wintry mix on Sunday. People catching flights Saturday night to Sunday morning from Washington, D.C., to New York City and Boston may experience some delays.

Here is the forecast:

• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 46. Northwest wind 9 to 13 mph.
• Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 21. Calm wind.
• Saturday: Showers likely after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. Light south wind increasing to 8 to 13 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
• Saturday night: Showers. Low around 44. Southwest wind 10 to 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Sunday: A chance of showers before 10am, then a slight chance of showers after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 48. Breezy, with a west wind 20 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
• Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 26.

Patch file photo