Thanksgiving Eve Insights: Thanksgiving Storm Brings Big Impacts Across New England

As we prepare for Thanksgiving, a dynamic storm is set to bring a mix of weather impacts to New England, varying sharply by location and elevation. Matt and Danielle teamed up to deliver a detailed breakdown of what to expect, in our Insights Video – please refer to the video for our snowfall forecast map, which is entirely elevation-dependent. If you’re looking for a quick summary, here’s what you need to know:

Storm Timing and Overview

The storm will move into New England early Thanksgiving morning, bringing rain, snow, and wind. The heaviest precipitation will fall late morning through early afternoon before tapering to lighter rain and snow showers during the evening hours, later in the North Country and Maine. This system will primarily deliver rain to lower elevations, while higher terrain areas will see significant snow accumulations that will cause power outages due to the heavy, wet nature of the snow…with those outages and significant snow most likely above 1500 feet in Southern New England and above 1000 feet in Northern and Central New England.

Rain vs. Snow: All About Elevation

A defining feature of this storm is the sharp contrast in weather based on elevation:

• Southern New England will experience mostly rain, with heavier downpours late morning into early afternoon.
• Hills and Mountains: Above 1,000 feet in elevation, expect significant accumulating snow in Central and Northern New England (above 1500 feet in Southern New England, with some snow but not as heavy between 1000 and 1500 feet). Heaviest totals—8 to 12 inches or more—are likely in areas such as the Berkshires, the Green Mountains, and parts of the White Mountains.
• Coastal Maine and areas below 1,000 feet will see primarily rain, though a brief period of snow is expected even in lower elevations in Central and Northern New England as precipitation intensity fluctuates.

Snowfall Totals and Impact Zones (see video for Detailed Snow Forecast map)

• Northern Worcester County and Southwestern New Hampshire: Light snow possible in spots, with up to 1–2 inches at 1000-1500 feet and more with elevation.
• Berkshires and Green Mountains: Significant snow accumulations of 8–12 inches or more at elevations above 1,500 feet.
• Northern New Hampshire and Maine: Snow continues into Thursday evening, with totals of 6–12+ inches likely in higher terrain, while lower elevations see a mix or mostly rain.

Wind and Drying Conditions

This storm isn’t expected to produce extreme winds, but gusts of 30–40 mph are possible along the coast and on Cape Cod during the storm’s peak. Winds shift to the north and northwest by evening, helping to dry out roads and reducing the risk of a flash freeze in areas that only saw rain.

Holiday Travel Notes

While the Thanksgiving morning commute will be challenging in many areas due to rain and snow, conditions improve significantly by evening in southern New England. Northern New England travelers should anticipate lingering snow through the evening and early overnight, with Interstates like I-89 and I-93 conditions varying dramatically as elevation changes along the routes.

Weekend Outlook

Once the storm departs, expect cooler but dry weather Friday through Sunday. A westerly wind flow will trigger lake-effect snow that will arrive to the Western slopes of the Greens, in particular, Saturday and Sunday, dropping additional accumulations – amounts TBD.

Stay safe, travel carefully, and check the Noyes’ 1DegreeOutside Weather App for localized, real-time updates.