Safe travels

SPOKANE — A lot of Thanksgiving, of course, is about family and friends and getting together. But – well, it’s November, late November at that. And everybody else’s family and friends will be getting together too.

So the whole getting-together thing could be more complicated than it is in July.

Depending on the destination, it’s supposed to be raining – or maybe snowing – on and off throughout the weekend, according to the Spokane office of the National Weather Service. The Washington Department of Transportation website has an entire section of travel information to help travelers navigate the weekend.

Moses Lake and Grant County probably will see mostly rain, beginning Wednesday. It’s “the first of a series of (weather) fronts coming through the region,” said Robin Fox, meteorologist with the NWS office in Spokane.

People who are traveling stand a better chance of running into snow the closer they get to the mountains, Fox said. According to the WSDOT website, people traveling through the mountains can expect snow near or above 3,000 feet at times throughout the weekend. Snoqualmie Pass (I-90) tops out at 3,022 feet. Accumulations in the mountains (although not necessarily on Snoqualmie Pass) could reach 10 inches, according to a special weather statement issued by NWS.

The DOT website also shows peak traffic times through the mountains, relying on historical data. People heading west actually don’t have much to worry about when it comes to traffic. It gets a little congested westbound on Snoqualmie Pass between 3 and 4 p.m. Wednesday, and eastbound between noon to 2 p.m. Sunday. The state does have a service that will send drivers a text to notify them of traffic delays 30 minutes or longer. Details are available on the WSDOT website.

Stevens Pass (US 2) is forecast to have a lot of traffic, but no congestion that would delay the trip.

That’s without weather. It’s going to be rainy on Wednesday – or snowy, depending on the destination. If the trip to the Thanksgiving gathering is in Moses Lake or Grant County, it’ll probably be raining sometime during the day. Rain and snow are forecast for Spokane Wednesday night and into Thanksgiving Day, while there’s only a 20 to 30 percent chance of rain for the Tri-Cities Wednesday night and Thursday.

Rain is forecast for the Wenatchee area Wednesday and Thursday. The forecast for the Okanogan Valley includes snow Thanksgiving Day, but that should turn to rain later in the day, Fox said.

More rain is forecast across the state for Friday, although it’s expected to be dry for the Apple Cup game in Pullman. However. “We’re not done yet. It’s just going to keep going,” Fox said. Region-wide it’s supposed to be showery Saturday night into Sunday, she said, with rain returning Sunday night and Monday.

Drivers can check weather conditions on the NWS Spokane website, which has an “interactive travelers forecast.” The map shows road conditions as red, yellow or green; travelers can click on the map for more information.