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Thanksgiving travel weather forecast: Sunny in Florida, have a jacket up north

Much of the nation will enjoy relatively quiet weather for Thanksgiving travel, but a few regions could experience some hang-ups.
Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After the pandemic halted many travel plans in 2020, many people are looking to hit the roads or take to the skies to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with friends and family.  

The good news is that a largely quiet weather pattern should keep travel worries ahead of Thanksgiving at a minimum. That said, some travelers could still have to deal with some minor weather issues. 

National look

Cold air has already started to invade much of the eastern half of the United States. Breezy conditions accompanying the cold air will bring wind chill values down into the teens for the Midwest and Appalachians, 20s in the Northeast and 30s as far south as northern Florida.

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

Windy conditions throughout the Midwest will have to be watched to potentially produce some airport delays in Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Detroit and Cleveland. There could also be some delays as a result of windy conditions in Colorado, where gusts could reach as high as 40-50 mph.

This push of cold air will have its greatest impact on the Southeast into Wednesday morning where temperatures as far south as the Nature Coast of western Florida could dip into the upper 30s. After that, temperatures across Florida will warm into the mid-upper 70s for Wednesday afternoon and Thanksgiving Day with plenty of sunshine.

A storm system will develop Wednesday into Thanksgiving Day across the central U.S. and is expected to produce locally heavy rain from southern Texas into Mississippi. The system will stretch northeast bringing a ribbon of rain into the Great Lakes with snow possible into portions of Michigan. 

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

Thanksgiving in Tampa Bay

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

Meanwhile, back here in Tampa Bay, our weather will remain just about perfect for Wednesday and Thursday. Temperatures Wednesday morning will start in the upper 40s, but by Wednesday afternoon temperatures will rebound into the middle 70s. 

Thanksgiving Day will be filled with plenty of sunshine and high temperatures in the mid-upper 70s.

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

Into Friday, the cold front associated with the system draped across the Midwest will drop southeast into Florida and bring a very small chance for a few isolated showers Friday afternoon. Once this front moves through, slightly cooler air will begin to move in for the weekend. 

High temperatures both Saturday and Sunday will be in the low 70s under mostly sunny skies.

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay Thanksgiving stats

  • NORMAL HIGH: 77°
  • NORMAL LOW: 59°
  • HOTTEST DAY: 84° (2010)
  • COLDEST DAY: 50° (1911)
  • WARMEST NIGHT: 73° (1992)
  • COLDEST NIGHT: 38° (2013)
  • WETTEST: 0.80" (1961)

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