We should be thankful for the rain since we're in a drought, but the weather will impact holiday travelers this week and the big parade on Thursday in NYC. You certainly won't be the only person impacted by the weather: according to AAA, more Americans will travel for Thanksgiving this year than ever before.
For us here in NYC, the forecast for Thursday is a chilly and wet one. Steady rains are likely on Thanksgiving. Flooding isn't likely, but it won't be nice parade weather. The showers are likely to start by 7 a.m., turn steady to heavy by mid-morning and continue through much of the afternoon.
If you need to travel for Thanksgiving, Wednesday is your best bet, especially if you're traveling to upstate New York or New England. The forecast on Wednesday for NYC is for dry conditions and seasonable temperatures. For Thanksgiving, it's a washout here and snowy well north of the city. Then for Friday and the weekend, here comes winter: temperatures will plunge. Readings will be in the 20s and 30s, the coldest of the season.
Also, over the weekend, this cold air will set off strong lake-effect snows in upstate areas. If you're going to be driving into areas that are expecting snow, be sure to put an "emergency kit" in your car. It should include a snow shovel, water, blankets and food. This could be life-saving if you become stranded on a snowy highway.
Now, let's take a look at the weather highlights for Thanksgiving travelers.
A more detailed forecast for each day can be found below.
No strong storms or severe weather are in the forecast for Tuesday. A front will push east across the country, stretching from the southern Appalachians to the Mid-Atlantic, bringing showers and some rain chances. Accumulations will be low.
A low pressure system will swing through the Northeast states and bring some rain and wintry precipitation to elevated parts of New England and northern New York state. Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for northern New York and interior New England, including Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.
Mixed wintry precipitation, including light ice accretion and sleet, could lead to slick travel for those parts of the northeast.
Snowy weather continues in the Mountain West on Tuesday. Winter Storm Warnings are in effect across parts of California, Utah and Colorado, with snowfall being measured in feet across the highest elevations. Heavy snow in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains could climb up to 3 to 4 feet, with 1 to 2 feet across parts of the Colorado Rockies.
Wednesday morning will offer favorable travel conditions for most across the country. Wet and wintry conditions out west will taper off through Wednesday morning as high pressure builds in and widespread heavy snow ends in the mountains.
A low-pressure system developing across the Midwest on Wednesday afternoon will bring increasing rain and snow chances and some impactful weather beginning late Wednesday as a cold front trails behind it.
Showers and storms are expected across the Gulf Coast, stretching northward toward the Tennessee and Ohio River Valley. Rain totals Wednesday and Wednesday night could climb up toward half an inch to an inch across parts of Kentucky, Tennessee and northern Georgia, leading to wet travel conditions. Rain spreads east toward the Mid-Atlantic late Wednesday night.
If you’re saving your travel for Thanksgiving Day, an active pattern looks to set up across the Northeast with a storm system bringing rain and potentially heavy snow. Precipitation is expected across most of the Eastern Seaboard on Thanksgiving Day.
The highest potential for heavy snow will be for the interior Northeast, especially in the higher elevations. There is still some uncertainty in the exact timing and placement for when and where the heaviest rain and snow will fall, but confidence is high for an active pattern bringing impactful and wet weather across the Northeast on Turkey Day.
Temperatures should be colder than normal east of the Rockies on Thanksgiving, making for a chilly day. The Western U.S. is looking at drier weather and favorable travel conditions.
Cold westerly flow and leftover moisture could lead to some heavy lake-effect snow on Friday and into this weekend as the low-pressure system moves offshore. It could impact travel plans for those around the Great Lakes, especially in western and central New York.
High pressure should build into the Central U.S., keeping most of the Midwest and Southeast dry and chilly as below-normal temperatures settle in Friday through the weekend.
Out west, weather conditions stay dry and quiet, with no active weather expected.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.