Outlook sunny for Centre County holiday travelers

A strengthening area of high pressure will bring bright, sunny skies and seasonably warm temperatures to much of the Northeast, on one of the busiest travel times of the year.

Airline travelers commuting from the University Park Airport to Philadelphia, Detroit and Chicago will most likely not experience outbound weather-related delays Wednesday as temperatures climb to a high of 47 degrees. With limited cloud cover during the day and overnight, expect temperatures to plummet into the low 30s.

Wednesday will be followed by another day with high pressure in control. Centre County residents, along with the rest of those living in the Northeast, can expect nothing short of a stunning, sunny, mild Thanksgiving, as temperatures climb to a seasonable high of 52. This is an incredibly sharp contrast from Thanksgiving 2014.

Conditions remain clear and chilly Thursday night as temperatures drop into the low 30s.

Overall, Mother Nature looks to cooperate for Thanksgiving 2015, a welcomed departure from Thanksgiving 2014. Last year, a winter storm walloped the Northeast during Thanksgiving week. Cities across New York and New England received a heaping helping of snow, with some places recording between 8 and 12 inches. Winter storm warnings spanned an area affecting as many as 20 million people. According to the FAA more than 4,700 flights were canceled and at least 700 flight delays were reported nationally.

The heavy, wet snow was also responsible for downing trees and power lines, which resulted in massive power outages. Maine was hit the hardest, with an estimated 160,000 people left in the dark.

Conditions will change drastically by Friday and delays are probable. Mostly cloudy skies will bring showers to the region by Friday afternoon, however, temps will remain in the 50s early in the day. A sharp contrast in temperatures is expected Friday night, as strong northwesterly winds will make it feel much cooler than a low of 35.

Showers continue through the weekend and temps will be noticeably cooler. The skies will likely remain mostly cloudy Saturday and Sunday with highs in the low 40s and overnight lows falling below freezing Saturday night. Roads will most likely be slippery Saturday night and Sunday morning and travelers are urged to drive with caution.

This story was originally published November 24, 2015 at 8:07 PM with the headline "Outlook sunny for Centre County holiday travelers."