This Thanksgiving week brings a mix of wintry weather and travel challenges for New England and beyond. While today remains quiet, icy conditions arrive Tuesday morning for parts of the North Country, and a Thanksgiving Day storm promises rain for many and snow or snow to sleet or rain the farther north one is in New England. Matt Noyes breaks down what to expect, what still needs to be determined, and what he thinks the upcoming trends in the storm forecast may be in our “deep-dive” into the meteorology behind the forecast – our trademark Insights Video.
Tuesday Morning: Icy Mix in the North
The first weather system of the week slides in Tuesday morning, bringing icy travel conditions to parts of northern New England.
- Icy Spots: Expect sleet and freezing rain across valleys in the Northeast Kingdom, northern New Hampshire, and northwestern Maine.
- Snow: The Great North Woods into Northern Maine may see accumulating snow before a midday change to rain.
- Rain Showers: Central and southern New England will experience scattered rain showers and periodic rain through afternoon, tapering off by evening.
Thanksgiving Day: Rain for Most, Snow for Some?
After a quiet and cool Wednesday (save for some Northern mountain snow showers) a developing storm on Thanksgiving Day is the headline event of the week.
- Timing: Showers begin mid-morning, on average for New England Thursday, with precipitation spreading across the region from west to east.
- Rain/Snow Line:
- Southern New England: Rain will dominate, with temperatures too warm for snow. Easterly wind may gust over 35 mph at the coast by late day.
- Hills and Mountains: The Berkshires, Worcester Hills, and northern mountains may see a brief burst of snow before transitioning to rain.
- Northern Mountains: If conditions align, ski areas in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine could pick up 6-10 inches of wet snow, but Matt says the more the storm organizes, the more warm air it will carry northward, meaning snow amounts may be reduced by the introduction of sleet or even rain into parts of Northern New England – TBD. The western slopes of the Green Mountains may find some strong “downsloping” wind gusts later Thursday, blowing over the top of the mountains from the east.
Friday and Beyond: Lingering Showers, Colder Air
Rain and snow showers may linger in parts of New England Friday morning, but the storm is expected to largely be departing on Friday. If the storm ends up less organized, that actually may leave a bit more atmospheric energy around Friday for more in the way of scattered mixed showers.
- Winds: Gusty westerly winds over 30 mph will kick in Friday.
- Chilly Weekend: Expect highs in the 30s to low 40s heading into the weekend, with a quieter but colder pattern settling in.
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