Soggy days prior to Philly's Thanksgiving while icy mess in Poconos, to north

When it comes to the weather forecast for Thanksgiving travel this week, there's good news and bad news.

The good news: Though a Nor'easter is projected to hit the Philadelphia area Tuesday and continue into Wednesday, the storm is likely to bring only rain to our region.

The bad news: For those traveling to other parts of the country, it could be much worse.

"Anybody traveling west into the central or northern Appalachians, up into northern New England, the interior of New York state or even just outside the Poconos should be aware they're going to run into snow and ice Tuesday into Wednesday," said meteorologist Walter Drag of the National Weather Service Mt. Holly. "Some of that could be substantial depending on where they're going."

Locally, the brunt of the storm is expected to hit Philadelphia Tuesday night and continue into Wednesday. Though temperatures will likely remain too warm for the region to see snow or sleet, two to three inches of rain are forecast to fall during that time.

"That will affect travel plans because there will be more motorists than usual on the roads," Drag said. "With rain falling, people slow down, so delays are seemingly inevitable. And for air travelers, depending on the conditions and time of their flight, there could be delays and even cancellations of some flights."

Thursday's Thanksgiving forecast is clear and blustery. Temperatures are projected to drop about 15 degrees from the day before, with highs only reaching the mid-30s.

In the meantime, Drag said those who are traveling should factor the forecast into their commute. "People should be making plans to possibly leave earlier if these forecasts come to fruition," he said. "Probably leaving earlier might help, and having some alternate plans."