Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania may head into a wetter and occasionally wintry stretch during the Thanksgiving travel window, as new long-range federal outlooks show a 33–40% probability of above-normal precipitation across the state from November 23 through November 29.
According to the Climate Prediction Center’s 8–14 Day Outlook released Saturday, Pennsylvania sits along the eastern side of a developing storm corridor expected to stretch from the Midwest into the Appalachians. While the precipitation signal is moderate rather than strong, it is still high enough—paired with seasonal cold—to create potential for mixed precipitation or wet snow in portions of the state.
Western and northern Pennsylvania—including Pittsburgh, Erie, Butler, Bradford, and the Laurel Highlands—fall closest to the colder air mass expected to dip south through the Great Lakes. These regions historically experience some of the earliest Thanksgiving-period snowfall when moisture and marginal temperatures overlap.
Central Pennsylvania, including State College, Altoona, and Harrisburg, sits within the same 33–40% elevated precipitation zone. Depending on storm timing, the region could see cold rain, wet snow, or a mix during the busiest travel days of the holiday period. Mountain passes along US-322 and I-99 may experience brief travel slowdowns if temperatures drop during overnight hours.
Eastern Pennsylvania—from Scranton and Allentown to Philadelphia—remains in the wetter-than-normal corridor, but coastal influence may keep temperatures on the warmer side. Cold rain is most likely for Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs, though mixed precipitation remains possible farther north and west.
Thanksgiving week is one of Pennsylvania’s highest-volume travel periods, especially along I-76, I-80, I-81, and I-95. Even modest precipitation can cause delays, and air travel disruptions are possible at Philadelphia International, Pittsburgh International, and regional airports if systems arrive during peak travel windows.
Forecasters expect clearer details early next week as short-range models begin to resolve individual systems.
