More than 2,000 flights already delayed or canceled as storms snarl Thanksgiving travel

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Lake-effect snow and flooding rainfall are some of the trials facing millions of Americans on the move this week

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The week of Thanksgiving got off to a rocky start as stormy weather snarled travel, with more than 2,058 flights delayed or canceled across the country Monday morning.

Around 82 million people are expected to be on the move, with the busiest travel days expected Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday and Monday.

This holiday travel period is expected to be the busiest in nearly 15 years, the Federal Aviation Administration warned, with more than 360,000 flights booked this week. Some 52,000 of those flights are expected to be on Tuesday, the agency said.

At least 73 million – or nearly 90 percent of Thanksgiving travelers – are expected to make journeys by road, according to AAA.

“That number could end up being higher if some air travelers decide to drive instead of fly following recent flight cancellations,” the non-profit cautioned.

The South

Many travelers in the South, the Rockies, the Plains and the Midwest are already feeling the effects of flooding rain, gusting winds and heavy snow, with the majority of delays and cancellations reported in Texas as thunderstorms hit the state and neighboring Oklahoma and Arkansas.

More than 35,374 customers were left without power, largely in Texas, tracker PowerOutage.US showed.

Dallas airports were the hardest hit by delays and cancellations Monday, according to the tracker FlightAware.

There were 46 cancellations and 250 delays at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport; 35 cancellations and 38 delays at Dallas Love Field Airport. DFW is expected to see approximately 5.4 percent more passengers this Thanksgiving compared to last year, CBS News Texas said.

Heavy rainfall is forecast along the Interstate 30 corridor, from Dallas to Little Rock, Arkansas, and a flood watch was in effect through 3 p.m. CST. The rain is expected to stop by Thursday and Friday before turning over the weekend.

Record-high travel is expected across the Lone State state, with some 5.8 million people traveling 50 miles or more away from their home this holiday, according to AAA Texas.

The Midwest and Great Lakes

Forecasters in Minnesota warned that a weather system had the potential to dump up to nine inches of snow from Tuesday through Wednesday.

“In life, it's said, timing is everything. And with an army of Minnesotans hitting the road for the Thanksgiving holiday, the approach of a fairly significant winter storm system is poor timing indeed,” KARE 11 said.

Officials at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport urged travelers to arrive earlier than normal due to the expected crowds, according to KSTP.

The Metropolitan Airports Commission expects to screen 441,000 people through security checkpoints between Thursday and December 1, according to CBS News, with the busiest days between Wednesday and Sunday.

Meanwhile, a low-pressure system is expected to track northeastward into the lower Great Lakes by Tuesday night. Lower Michigan is set to see lake effect snow on Thanksgiving, with up to a foot or more blowing between Tuesday and Thursday morning.

Winter storm watches are in effect, and winds may gust up to 45 miles per hour, making travel dangerous.

“Travel could be very difficult to impossible,” the National Weather Service said in the storm watch alert. “Widespread blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning commutes. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches. Snowfall may start accumulating as soon as early Tuesday afternoon.”

As much as six inches of snow could fall in North Dakota. “If you’re planning on traveling Tuesday, be prepared for snow-covered roads and rapidly changing visibility due to falling and blowing snow,” Bismarck forecasters said.

The East

Areas from the Ohio Valley to the Mid-Atlantic could see rain on Tuesday, with precipitation moving over New England Wednesday.

Some scattered thunderstorms are also anticipated up and down the East Coast, with the arrival of a cold front.

“The cold front will bring periods of rain and gusty winds to the Northeast, which could cause some delays at major airport hubs in Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C. and New York City while some rain will linger across the Southeast and mid-Atlantic,” FOX Weather said.

The West

More snow is expected to fall over Colorado, Wyoming and Montana between Monday and Wednesday, with winter weather advisories issued across all three states.

Freezing rain was slated to fall over parts of northern Montana Monday, and cameras in Pueblo, Colorado, showed roads buried in heavy snow.

Farther west, an atmospheric river is anticipated to drench the Pacific Northwest, possibly leading to flooding in Washington state and Oregon.

"The first round of heavy rain looks to target western Washington and northwestern Oregon starting late Tuesday and Tuesday night," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said.

As much as two inches of snow could fall across areas from Portland to Seattle, the forecasting site predicted, with other areas seeing as many as four inches.

"The heavy rain from the atmospheric river will likely slow travel on Interstate 5 leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday," said Pydynowski.

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