Wednesday, November 23, 2011

It's a soggy start to the Thanksgiving road trip in parts of the country, but few major problems have been reported.

One man who set out for a 20-hour drive with his girlfriend from new Hampshire to visit his mother and sister in St. Louis says it's a time to "sacrifice to see the ones you love." John Mahoney is acknowledging that the economy has changed the way he travels. It's why the couple slept in the car instead of getting a motel room when a heavy, wet snowstorm flared up along the New York State Thruway.

The snow, mixed with sleet and freezing rain, has made for treacherous driving in parts of New England and upstate New York.
Thousands were left without power. Forecasters expect up to a foot
in some areas.

Heavy rains prompted flood warnings and road closures in parts of the East early today. In Pennsylvania, emergency workers had to rescue one man from the roof of his car when he was trapped by rising waters. Forecasters say most of the East Coast rain is expected to clear by tonight. Parts of the Pacific Northwest and northern California are also expecting rain through today, with snow in the Rocky Mountains and other ranges.

Airports along the East Coast have seen minor delays for some arrivals and departures, but few other disruptions have been reported.