The National Weather Service is predicting a rainy Thanksgiving week and hot temperatures in Florida
happy thanks giving! The National Weather Service says most of Florida could see rain midweek or Thursday evening.
Could the weather cause travel nightmares before this Thanksgiving?
AccuWeather has exclusive details of places in the U.S. where weather could cause travel headaches in the days leading up to Thanksgiving this year.
We’re approaching what’s expected to be one of the busiest Thanksgiving travel seasons in a long time, and forecasters have a better idea of what kind of weather we can expect in Florida over the holiday.
Short Version: The Panhandle and Keys could get wet all week, areas north to central Florida could see some wet days before the holiday, and most of Florida could see showers Thursday evening. And if you’re traveling for Thanksgiving anywhere in the eastern half of the country this week, be prepared for delays.
A low pressure system developing in the central United States is expected to bring widespread rain and possible thunderstorms across the eastern two-thirds of the country over the next two days, according to meteorologists with the National Weather Service. East Texas will be plastered into the lower Mississippi Valley later today into tonight with heavy rain and the potential for high winds, tornadoes and hail.
By Tuesday, the center of the system is expected to reach the lower Great Lakes region, bringing rain and thunderstorms toward New England Tuesday night, with strong thunderstorms expected across the southeastern United States. Stormy thunderstorms may increase weather-related delays around Atlanta on Tuesday. AccuWeather meteorologists said.
“The pre-Thanksgiving storm could impact travel from the central to eastern United States early next week,” the National Weather Service said in a warning. “Areas of severe thunderstorms, gusty winds, heavy rain and heavy snow are all possible.”
The National Automobile Club, AAA, expects more than 3 million Floridians to travel 50 miles or more during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period, out of more than 55.3 million Americans nationwide, nearly 1.3 million more than last year.
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Will it rain on Thanksgiving in Florida? What will the weather be like in Florida on Thanksgiving week?
Depending on where you are, at least that evening while you’re on vacation.
In the Panhandle, as of Monday, there is a 20-50% chance of rain and possibly thunderstorms today and tonight, a 90% chance of rain on Tuesday, a 20% chance on Wednesday, and a 40-50% chance on Thanksgiving, according to states for nuclear weapons.
Tallahassee will not see rain until Tuesday, with a 20-50% chance of rain throughout the day and evening, a slight chance of thunderstorms on Wednesday and a 30-50% chance of rain on Thursday, the weather service said. By Tuesday night, rain may hit the Jacksonville area, but Thursday is expected to be mostly cloudy with a 30% chance of rain in the evening.
Central Florida may see some rain today, but if it rains this week, it will be Wednesday and Thursday evening with a mostly cloudy Thanksgiving.
Southwest and South Florida may avoid rain until Thursday night, when there is a 20% chance of thunderstorms.
However, there is a low chance of rain in areas of the Florida Keys throughout the week.
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Will it be hot or cold on Thanksgiving in Florida?
It won’t be as cold as last week’s forecast, although it may be in most areas of the state, but a cold front accompanying a low pressure area sweeping across the country will drop temperatures in the Panhandle into the 40s through Wednesday night. Night and into the low 60s on Thanksgiving.
North Florida can expect temperatures in the high 70s all week with drops to the low 70s over the holiday and overnight lows before and after the 50s.
Central Florida will be a bit warmer, with temperatures in the 70s until Wednesday night dips into the low 60s, but Thanksgiving will still be in the low 70s, the weather service said.
The cold front may still be affecting Southwest Florida, but only enough to drop temperatures Thursday to just 81 degrees with overnight lows before and after the upper 60s.
South Florida should see high temperatures in the 70s, with temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s at the start of the week.
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What does the Farmer’s Almanac predict for Thanksgiving weather in Florida?
According to the calendar, it’s time to “grab some hot cider!” Conditions in the Southeast, including Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida, are expected to be fair but cool. “Cold” is relative to the Sunshine State, of course.
The calendar predicted the return of cold weather in its 2023-2024 winter forecast, with a greater chance of rain in the Southeast.
“The Southeast and Florida will see a wetter-than-normal winter, with generally average winter temperatures, but a little frost may send a lot of shivers down snowbirds trying to avoid the cold and snow back home,” the Farmers Almanac predicted.
The Old Farmers’ Almanac, a competitor, forecasts warm weather and scattered rain from November 23-30.
What does the Farmers’ Almanac predict for Thanksgiving weather across the country?
If you’re traveling for the holidays, here’s what you can expect, according to the Farmers’ Almanac:
- Northeast and New England: New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C., are supposed to see “mostly moderate but cool weather.”
- Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and Midwest: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and Wisconsin may see rain and possibly snow beforehand but will see a “fair but mostly cold Thanksgiving.”
- North Central: Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana may experience light snow in the Rocky Mountains before the holiday, followed by heavy snow in the Nebraska and Dakota area.
- South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico are supposed to see a “clear and cool” holiday, with some stormy weather from the west.
- North West: Washington, Oregon and Idaho may see “wet rain and snow.”
- Southwest: California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona could have a “rainy Thanksgiving,” the calendar said.
