Weather: Thanksgiving Winter Storm

Two more days of sunshine and warmth are on tap, before lousy weather moves in for Thanksgiving Day, and the holiday weekend.

Last year’s Thanksgiving Day brought a high temperature of just 38 degrees and a dusting of snow, according to the NWS. Temperatures will drop considerably from the 60s into the lower 40s Friday morning, and should remain in the lower 40s for Friday midday to afternoon along with gusty north winds at 15 to 25 miles per hour. This means the Iron Bowl forecast should be dry with overcast skies. Shallow, sub-freezing air behind the cold front will cause rain to freeze Wednesday night with icy travel possible in Nebraska & northwestern Kansas.

Here in New Jersey, it should be mostly sunny and dry on the biggest travel day – Wednesday – and partly sunny and dry on Thanksgiving Day as temperatures continue to climb.

Winter storm warnings were already in place on Monday in Montana, northern Idaho and eastern Washington, which could get smacked with snow in high elevations, according to the National Weather Service.

Clouds will make for a gloomier day on Wednesday, but travel ahead of Thanksgiving should be an easy affair locally. Clear skies should prevail, with little chance of rain. And a cold front moving into the region from Canada could send temperatures plummeting about 10 degrees below typical levels starting Tuesday night, she said.

Thursday afternoon and evening, snow will develop in the western half of the U.P. By Friday morning, 2 to 6 inches of snow is likely in the western U.P.

The rain should taper off Sunday, but cloudy and cold conditions will linger through Monday.

Northern Lower MI and the U.P. will be into the below freezing air Friday, but the precipitation should be over. Rain possible NW. High 71.