Updated: 12/22, 2:31 p.m.
The National Weather Service in Binghamton has issued a wind advisory starting Thursday night at 10 p.m. until Friday evening. Wind gusts could be as high as 50 miles per hour.
Expect rain Thursday night. Temperatures will rise to 45˚ by Friday morning. But rain quickly changes to snow by around 11 a.m. Friday. Temperatures are expected to plummet.
Flash freezing could make roads icy and hazardous. Wind chills could drop to below zero. A wind chill advisory goes into effect from 5 p.m. Friday to noon Saturday.
(WRVO) - Travel numbers are expected to spike between December 23 and January 2 to nearly pre-pandemic levels.
Elizabeth Carey, director of public relations for AAA, said it’s partially because of the timing of this year’s major holidays.
"With Christmas and New Year's Day falling on Sundays, we're seeing a lot of people looking to extend those holiday trips, and a lot of people working virtually some days to really extend things that way as well,” said Carey.
Nearly 7.2 million Americans are expected to head to airports, but the majority of travelers, nearly 102 million people, will be driving to holiday destinations.
AAA communications specialist Valerie Puma said the busiest times on the road Christmas week are Friday, December 23 between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Christmas Eve between noon and 6 p.m.
"Our advice is to avoid traveling during peak commuting hours,” said Puma. “If your schedule allows it, try to leave bright and early or even after the afternoon commute."
Dan Fisher, AAA’s emergency road service dispatch manager, said before hitting the road, it’s a good idea to check vehicles, especially tires and batteries, to make sure they’re ready for winter weather.
"Battery is the number one thing that we see in the cold weather, and we're about to have some pretty cold weather here throughout the state,” said Fisher. “Usually about 16 degrees is when our call volume really spikes."
AAA expects to rescue 900,000 stranded motorists during the next few weeks. Fisher also recommends putting a homemade emergency travel kit in your car, including first aid supplies, a flashlight, an extra phone charger, warm clothing, and blankets.
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