thanksgiving day snow rain forecast 2026: trending now

Thanksgiving Day Snow and Rain Forecast 2026: Regional Weather Outlook and Holiday Travel Predictions

Planning your Thanksgiving 2026 holiday travel requires a close look at the latest extended weather forecasts. Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026, placing holiday transit right at the seasonal shift between late autumn and early winter. Early long-range outlooks indicate a mixed pattern across the United States, bringing snow showers to northern pockets, rain across the East and Northwest, and largely dry, sunny weather across the South and West.

Where Snow Is Likely on Thanksgiving 2026

Snow lovers and winter drivers alike should watch higher elevations and northern latitudes closely:

• Upper Midwest and Great Lakes: The Upper Midwestincluding Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michiganis the prime candidate for below-normal temperatures accompanied by flurries and scattered snow showers. Areas around the Lower Lakes (Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo) face a cold rain-and-snow mix that may trigger localized holiday transit delays.

  Men’s Journal

• Northern Rockies and Intermountain West: Light snowfall is forecast across high-elevation passes in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and northern Utah, which could affect interstate mountain travel.

  Men’s Journal

• Alaska: Inland and northern Alaska are poised for colder-than-average conditions with periods of snow showers, while the southern Panhandle leans toward rain.

  The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Where Rain and Wet Roads Are Forecast

Precipitation elsewhere is projected to fall mostly as rain due to milder air masses:

• Atlantic Corridor and Northeast: Major metropolitan hubsincluding Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.are trending toward mild temperatures accompanied by passing rain showers on Thanksgiving Day, before cooler conditions arrive for the weekend.

  The Old Farmer’s Almanac

• Southeast and Deep South: Showers and isolated thunderstorms may develop across the Southeast and coastal Gulf states, though temperatures will remain seasonably warm.

• Pacific Northwest: A typical late-fall wet pattern is expected across Washington and Oregon, bringing persistent rain to valleys and coastlines with snow confined to the Cascades.

Where Fair, Dry Conditions Will Prevail

• Southwest, California, and High Plains: Favorable Thanksgiving travel conditions are expected throughout Southern California, the Desert Southwest, Texas, and the Central High Plains, where sunny to partly cloudy skies and above-average warmth should keep holiday commutes dry.

Because extended meteorological projections evolve as the holiday approaches, travelers should continue checking updated local radar and National Weather Service updates throughout Thanksgiving week.