LOS ANGELES (KABC) — If you're traveling for the holidays, get ready for traffic. Friday is expected to be the busiest air travel day of the holiday season.
The FAA says nearly 52,000 flights will take off Friday alone.
More than 122 million people are expected to drive or take a flight, according to AAA — a new record, but a powerful storm could impact your travel.
A strong atmospheric river is expected to hit California starting Tuesday and last through Christmas Day.
ABC7 Meteorologist Dallas Raines says if you want to beat the rain, you'll probably want to be on the road no later than Tuesday morning.
We could see several inches of rain, with the risk of flooding, debris flows and slick road conditions.
In the mountains, snow could create major travel issues, especially on Christmas Eve.
About 8 million people will fly, with Southern California being one of the top destinations, and airlines say the days right after Christmas will be the most packed. Approximately, 109 million people will be driving.
Some of the most popular destinations for Southern Californians include San Diego, Las Vegas, Anaheim and Arizona.
The weekend before Christmas and the day after, are expected to be the most congested. One of the busiest freeways will be the 10 east, between Los Angeles and Phoenix.
United Airlines says they expect the Saturday after Christmas, Dec. 27, to be the airline's most crowded day.
The best days to travel back home on SoCal freeways are Christmas Day and New Years Day.
