The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the North Dakota Department of Health are recommending people not travel for the Thanksgiving holiday due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This warning comes at the same time as better than average weather for traveling, according to Adam Jones, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Bismarck.
"Breezy and dry," he said, referring to the Thursday forecast. "If you could travel it would be a great day for it."
The CDC has warnings for those that do travel.
'Gatherings with more people pose more risk than gatherings with fewer people," according to the CDC website. "The CDC does not have a limit or recommend a specific number of attendees for gatherings. The size of a holiday gathering should be determined based on the ability of attendees from different households to stay 6 feet (two arm lengths) apart, wear masks, wash hands, and follow state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations."
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People who do travel for the holiday are warned to wear masks, maintain social distances and avoid public spaces such as gas stations and rest areas when traveling.
Temperatures for travelers are forecast to be in the upper 30s or lower 40s or nearly 10 degrees above the average temperature for this time of year.
The warm weather may allow people in North Dakota to hold at least some of the holiday activities outdoors as suggested by the CDC or to keep some windows open improving ventilation in the home.
"It is not unusual to have snow on the ground this time of year," Jones said. "As far as thanksgiving goes, we've been warmer and dryer than average."
Jones said the dry and warmer than normal trend should continue at least another week.
