NEW YORK, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Holiday travelers around the country are experiencing delays as they face severe thunderstorms, snowfall and the aftermath of Tuesday's tornadoes in the South.
"If you want to see family, you gotta do what you have to do," traveler Gregory Simpson told CNN at Reagan National Airport in Washington. Simpson was attempting to fly to Toronto, but fog and rain in the Northeast already delayed his flight at least an hour.
"It's unfortunate that this tends to happen this time of year, but there's not a whole lot you can do about it."
Hubs in Atlanta, Washington, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago and Boston have all experienced delays and cancellations, and more are expected to come.
I-95 corridor travelers who can avoid New Jersey should at least attempt to take surface and state roads through neighboring states, as highway officials predict more American drivers will clog traffic along Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike than other major thoroughfare in the country.
Meanwhile in the Mountain West and Northern Midwest, travelers are fighting through heavy rains turning to snow, with precipitation expected to move through the regions Wednesday and dissipate to gray skies by Christmas Day. Parts of those storm systems may cause major snow along the Great Lakes.
In the south, Over 6,300 Mississippi residents remain without power after storms and tornadoes ripped through the state overnight, killing at least four and injuring dozens.
"Fifty patients were seen in the ER today because of the storm," noted Marion County General Hospital spokeswoman Millie Swan.
"We are operating on generator power. Columbia is completely out of power."
Although the most severe holiday weather spared major American population centers and travel destinations, safety officials are concerned Tuesday's tornadoes now threaten Atlanta with heavy rain, thunderstorms and potential flooding.
"Developing showers and thunderstorms training across the area will increase the potential for flood problems along area creeks, rivers and streams," the National Weather Service said in a statement.
"Additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are expected through Wednesdays afternoon."
Rain in New York ☔️ pic.twitter.com/oMDkSETEg5
— Mikayla Speicher (@mikaylaspeicher) December 24, 2014At http://t.co/AirVV2hOeO -- Spot the joggers in the rain in #centralpark pic.twitter.com/j6f349ouCP
— scenesfromnyc (@postcardsfromny) December 24, 2014Deadly storm races towards Great Lakes: Snow on backside, rain and storms for East: http://t.co/TznKpnwPDS pic.twitter.com/oU2y94jWFL
Advertisement— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) December 24, 2014Tornado damage on U.S. 98 in Columbia pic.twitter.com/fOfvr78Kox
— Haskel Burns (@HaskelBiz) December 23, 2014
