Memorial Day travellers entering or leaving the Washington, DC metro area should look out for heavy rain and hail on Thursday evening.

“A few thunderstorms may be severe, with damaging wind gusts and hail as the primary threats,” the National Weather Service said on Thursday afternoon.

Travel will ramp up tomorrow in the region as the workweek ends and lawmakers leave the capital for their home districts.

Experts say this year will bring one of the busiest Atlantic hurricane seasons on record due to record-high ocean heat and a brewing La Nina weather phenomenon.

Read more from the Associated Press:

New York City’s LaGuardia Airport and John F Kennedy International Airport are leading in delays and cancellations on Thursday, according to FlightAware.

As Memorial Day travel kicks off, LaGuardia has seen 90 delays and 18 cancellations so far on Thursday. Meanwhile, JFK is at 68 delays this afternoon.

These hiccups come after severe thunderstorms and hail hit New York City this morning. The storm has now largely moved off the coast, according to the National Weather Service.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) is giving travellers tips on when to leave their houses for the smoothest travel experience.

Those driving on Thursday or Friday should leave early in the day to avoid getting mixed in with people commuting to and from work.

Those returning home on Sunday or Monday should avoid driving in the afternoon if possible to avoid the return rush.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport workers are on strike today as Memorial Day weekend travel begins, local outlet WSOC TV reports.

The North Carolina airport is expecting a busy travel weekend. Airport officials predict that more than 400,000 passengers will originate from or connect at Charlotte Douglas International.

Thursday will be the busiest day for Memorial Day air travel, according to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

Air travel will gradually dip until Sunday, where it will hit its lowest point, before rising again on Monday and Tuesday.

Only 78 flights into, out of or within the US have been cancelled so far this morning, according to FlightAware.

For comparison, travellers on Wednesday saw nearly 500 cancellations.

While air travel may continue to go strong today, a cold front could thunderstorms to the Great Lakes region on Friday, potentially impacting air travel for Memorial Day weekend.

The Transportation Security Administration expects at least 3m people to pass through security checkpoints this weekend. Meanwhile, United Airlines predicts its biggest Memorial Day weekend, with nearly 10 per cent more passengers than in 2023.

New York City is facing severe thunderstorms with 60-mile-per-hour wind gusts and penny-sized hail as Memorial Day travel begins in earnest today, according to the National Weather Service.

The NWS is warning residents to expect downed trees and power lines.

A cold front may bring thunderstorms to the Great Lakes region on Friday, potentially impacting air travel as Memorial Day weekend kicks off.

The Transportation Security Administration expects at least 3m people to pass through security checkpoints this weekend as airports brace for heavy traffic.

Severe thunderstorms bringing the potential for heavy rain, hail and wind gusts will hit eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey today, according to the National Weather Service.

The storms will center over Interstate 95, the main north-south freeway on the east coast, as Memorial Day travel kicks off in earnest.