An inside look at the weather this weekend
- Some areas are expected to receive much-needed rain.
- The Thanksgiving travel rush is coming soon.
- The tropics are calm.
This week’s story so far? It feels more like late spring than mid-fall for many of you, especially in the South.
Or as a senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman Put that in our staff’s daily weather briefing on Thursday: “Welcome to a warm November.”
There are some changes coming, though.
We asked Erdmann and others on our panel of experts to sit down and chat about what they’re seeing in the weather this weekend.
Saturday is Veterans DayWhich means parades and other events to honor those who served. What parts of the country have the best and worst weather?
Chris Dolce: Parts of the South are likely to see the worst weather this weekend, with gray skies, cooler air and chances of rain sweeping parts of the region. And while the Florida peninsula won’t see much rain, I’d argue the weather isn’t great either, with highs in the mid to upper 80s making it feel a little sweaty by November standards.
Jonathan BalesThe best weather this weekend will be in the northern and central plains, where temperatures will rise to 15 degrees above average. Temperatures there can be similar to or warmer than some parts of Texas. Echoing what Chris said about the South, the worst weather will likely be on the Southeast Coast as a wedge of cold air will slide down the eastern side of the Appalachians. Temperatures in the 50s and rainy weather will make for a weekend stay by the fireplace.
Linda Lam: I’m excited for the weather in the Northeast this weekend because it will be dry again. Which is interesting because they’ve had a lot of wet weekends there this fall. However, I’m not really excited about the temperatures there as they will be on the cool side. Boston could see its first freeze of the season. So the weather will definitely be fine if you’re heading outside.
A flag flutters in the wind next to a cereal box on October 31, 2023 near McIntyre, Iowa.
(Scott Olson/Getty Images)
He talked about the South A Record hot summer Making most of the area vulnerable to some serious drought. What’s going on there and who’s going to get some relief?
Erdmann: Parts of the Tennessee Valley near Chattanooga went from drought-free to the highest category of drought in just seven weeks. This is among the most dramatic examples of drought I can remember. While I wouldn’t wish anyone a rainy weekend, any rain that can fall there, as well as in the lower Mississippi Valley, is desperately needed.
belle: Another reason for the sudden drought across the Southeast is the lack of tropical weather over the past few months. While no one wants a hurricane, its moisture can be beneficial, especially during the scorching hot summer season in the South. This year, the Gulf Coast has seen only two significant tropical encounters – Idalia in Florida and Harold in Texas and Mexico. And in the midst of those erections, you get persistent and rapidly worsening drought in Louisiana and surrounding states.
Danielle Banks: It’s very encouraging to see rainfall in places like Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi as well as other surrounding states that need it. They suffer a lot from dehydration. I wish I could give away the rain the same way Oprah used to give away cars on her show! “You’ve got rain! And you’re getting rain too! It’s good to see a wave of it hitting the area. Even though it won’t amount to much, it’s better than nothing.”
Ari Sarsalari: You know, some of these locations are the driest they’ve been in a couple of decades, so we really need the rain. Now, we’re not going to end the drought with that rain that Danielle mentioned over the next few days. But between Friday and Wednesday, some exceptionally dry areas will see about 1 to 2 inches of rain, and maybe a little more in some areas. You know, I honestly think at this point, not just the sight of rain but maybe the smell of it would be exciting to a lot of people.
What else is on your radar?
belle: Attention anyone starting their Thanksgiving travel early…as Ari and Danielle point out, the western and northern Gulf Coast will be wet through most of the first part of next week. But this also means that the Interstate 10 corridor and flights to/from Houston and New Orleans may experience some delays. As we move through next week, the West Coast will get windier as well. Delays will be possible from San Francisco to Seattle for the first part of the week.
More at Weather.COM
–California turns wetter next week with the first widespread rain of the season in Los Angeles and the Bay Area
–El Niño has officially become strong, according to a November update from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
–Winter Storms 101: How to Prepare for Snow and Ice
–Meteorologists are monitoring these five extreme winter weather patterns
Weather.com Reporter Jean Childs Covers breaking news and features on weather, space, climate change, environment and everything in between.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment, and the importance of science in our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
