Storms ahead could make holiday trips rough

Californians are taking to the road and the air in record numbers this holiday season, but weather conditions could make the going a bit bumpy.

AAA Northern California predicted this week that 11.7 million Golden State residents will travel 50 miles or more during the end-of-year holiday season — a nearly 2 percent increase over 2011 and the highest number ever.

"For the fourth consecutive year, California has seen a slow to steady increase in travel volume," said AAA spokeswoman Cynthia Harris. AAA estimates that more than 10 million Californians will drive to their destinations. Nearly 1 million will be heading to the airport.

Nationally, AAA projects that more than 93 million people will travel 50 miles or more during the holidays, up 1.6 percent from last year.

People driving to their destinations will find they don't have to make a major investment in the gas tank. Gas prices have continued to drop this week, with regular unleaded going for as little as $2.99 at Arco stations in Turlock, according to ModestoGasPrices.com.

But those traveling close to home or farther away could find themselves battling the elements.

Regionally, a storm was expected to move in late Thursday night and stay for the weekend, the National Weather Service predicts.

Rain was likely to start in the Northern San Joaquin Valley after 10 p.m., forecasters say. Today, the storm system could drop as much as a half-inch on the Modesto area. It's expected to continue through the weekend, clearing by Monday night before another hits the area returning Wednesday.

Nationally, a storm that has dumped more than a foot of snow in the Rocky Mountains is heading east. The National Weather Service says the central United States is experiencing blizzard conditions, severe thunderstorms and damaging winds.

The snow is a gift for ski resorts in Colorado, Utah and Arizona right before the busy holiday week. The moisture is also a relief after an extended wildfire season in Colorado.

The storm forced cancellation of about 1,000 flights, most of them at Chicago's O'Hare and Midway international airports.

American Airlines canceled all of its O'Hare flights scheduled after 8 p.m. Thursday, saying it expected winds to make it "very difficult, if not impossible, to operate" out of the airport.

Southwest Airlines canceled all its Midway flights after 4:30 p.m.

Airlines are waiving fees for some travelers who want to change their plans.

The Sacramento Bee and The Associated Press contributed to this report.