Traveling into or out of Washington D.C. sucks at the very best of times, but this Thanksgiving is shaping up to be a particularly horrible experience. High winds will make flights bumpy and postponed, while freezing rain and snow will wreck havoc on anybody planning on fleeing by personal vehicle.  On a positive note, Amtrak is looking like a pretty safe bet.

Starting tomorrow the weather is going to take a turn for the worse.  A storm system is supposed to start dumping heavy, cold and in places, freezing rain starting late tonight.  The roads will remain slippery early tomorrow morning in the hill country near West Virginia and in southeast Virginia — though there shouldn’t be any freezing on roads near the city.  Basically, don’t be that @sshole tailgating at 90 miles an hour on I-66 with your screaming kids in the backseats watching Pixar films.  You know who you are.

On Tuesday night and Wednesday morning the rain will turn to ice and snow from West Virginia all the way up to Maine, so if you’re traveling into the Northeast or towards the Rust Belt you’re in for a shit drive. Those heading south or staying along the coast will encounter heavy, cold rain and strong winds, along with an absolutely packed I-95.

Not to completely ruin your holiday buzz, but your return trip into the city on Sunday is shaping up to be a bit of a mess also.  On a positive note, Thanksgiving itself is looking like it’ll be a beautiful day.  In the District, should you decide to stay, there’ll be abundant sun and a high around 36.

Slow down, be patient and drive safe.  Oh, and have a good Thanksgiving.

Image via weather.com