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Bumpy Start To Thanksgiving Travel At SFO Because Of Rain

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) — The Thanksgiving travel season got off to a bumpy start at San Francisco International Airport on Friday, as a wet weather pattern moved into the area.

Airport Spokesman Doug Yakel said there were a wide variety of delays all day.

"We had a nice break in the rains for a while which kind of helped airlines get things back on time…little bit of precipitation again, so it is touch and go based on the weather," he said.

KCBS' Anna Duckworth Reports:

According to Yakel, 140,000 travelers were expected at the airport on the Friday before Thanksgiving, more than any other day during the Thanksgiving travel season.

Yakel said the Wednesday before the holiday used to be the busiest travel day, but things have changed in recent years.

"Perhaps it's a matter of schools giving students the entire week off, but we are seeing more of a shift to where now the busiest day of the Thanksgiving travel period is the Friday before, followed by the Sunday after," he said.

Stanford grad Ray Loriano was headed to Texas to visit his parents on Friday. He did what he could to prepare for the airport crowds by packing light.

"I only brought my backpack. So it should be smooth, even though it's really busy," Loriano said.

A total of 1.2 million passengers are expected to pass through SFO between Friday and the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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