Weather ruins Memorial Day plans for millions

This holiday weekend started with big travel plans for nearly 45 million Americans. Most wanted to reach beaches, cities, or family gatherings. But weather had other ideas. Storms pounded the East Coast from Boston to New Orleans, turning roads into rivers and airports into waiting rooms. Meanwhile, the West Coast enjoyed perfect sunny days with temperatures just warm enough to enjoy the outdoors. The contrast couldn't be sharper. The worst weather hit where most people live. New York, Boston, and Atlanta saw delays and cancellations pile up. Thunderstorms kept coming back like uninvited guests. Even areas that briefly dried out, like parts of the Plains, got soaked again when storms followed a cold front. The Ohio Valley got hit especially hard with flash flood warnings everywhere.

Memorial Day Monday brought small improvements but no clean break. The Northeast and Great Lakes finally saw some sunshine as storms moved away. Yet Texas and Louisiana stayed wet, with Houston to New Orleans roads becoming tricky. The jet stream helped push some dry air in, but not everyone benefited. Memphis, Atlanta, and other southern hubs still braced for more rain. The West Coast remained the clear winner. Cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco kept their mild weather and blue skies. Temperatures stayed comfortable without reaching extremes. That steady pattern made travel there a breeze compared to the chaos elsewhere. After the holiday, things should calm down. A high pressure system will bring drier air to the Northeast, letting temperatures climb back to comfortable levels. But don't expect summer to arrive just yet. Another weather system will swoop in later in the week, bringing cooler air and pushing summer warmth aside once again.

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