WILLMAR -- With T-minus 12 hours until "turkey day" celebrations start kicking off, many families are cramming into cars eager to eat grandma's pumpkin pie and homemade stuffing.
And this year the weather appears to be cooperating with the most traveled holiday of the year.
Partly cloudy weather is expected starting tomorrow morning and rolling through the weekend. Temperatures are also expected to remain mild with a high of 55 expected for Thanksgiving Day and highs around 40 the rest of the weekend, according to the forecast from the National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen.
Tony Zaleski, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen, said no precipitation is expected. "We don't have the moisture," Zaleski said. He went on to say that most of the country is generally dry this time of year. For those travel-weary veterans of Thanksgiving in need of more solid travel information, there are other options available.
A 511 traveler information service is available online or by phone for checking everything from traffic levels to detours to road and weather conditions. A news release from the Minnesota Department of Transportation Monday urged motorists to use the service before making trips this weekend. The service can be accessed online at www.511mn.org or by calling 511. There is no service charge.
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Motorist safety has also been stressed by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
According to a news release from the Department Tuesday, 11 people were killed on Minnesota roads over the 2005 Thanksgiving holiday, making it the deadliest of all holidays last year.
The Department of Public Safety also reminds travelers to:
- Buckle up.
- Plan for enough travel time in order to avoid the urge to speed.
- Pay attention. Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
- Plan a sober ride if you plan on drinking.
