AAA: More than 55 million travelers on the move this Thanksgiving
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Heavy snow and wind shut down highways Tuesday in Colorado and Wyoming, prompted school closures in Nebraska and forced more than 1,000 travelers to sleep overnight in Denver's airport after hundreds of flights were canceled just as the intense Thanksgiving week travel period went into high gear.
That storm headed next to South Dakota, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin and another storm in the Pacific Ocean was closing in on California, Oregon and Nevada - making for a double whammy of early wintry weather.
Katrina King is a local college student. She didn't want to get stranded at Philadelphia International Airport.
"I did consider tomorrow but with everything that's going on I just decided to do today," she said.
Some flights out west have already been canceled here.
"Well right now we've had three cancelations from Denver and a handful of delays," said Heather Redfern, a spokesperson with Philadelphia International Airport.
With a busy Thanksgiving holiday season on the way, airport officials say it could start to look like Denver's airport if flights start getting canceled.
"By the time the week is over we will have almost 800,000 people come through the airport," said Redfern.
AAA says more than 55 million travelers are taking to the roads and skies this holiday.
"Millions of thankful Americans are starting the holiday season off right with a Thanksgiving getaway," said Paula Twidale, vice president, AAA Travel. "Strong economic fundamentals are motivating Americans to venture out this holiday in near-record numbers. Consumer spending remains strong, thanks to increasing wages, disposable income and household wealth, and travel remains one of their top priorities for the holiday season."
For Cathy and Paul Seaton, this is an important trip. They're going to see their grandchildren in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
They say as long as they make it there, they don't mind how much snow they'll get.
"Our grandchildren are there. Maybe we'll get snowed in with them!" said the Seatons.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
