Celebrating your Thanksgiving in North Texas? Plan around the wet, chilly weather ahead
Texans can focus less on the weather this Thanksgiving and more on preparing the perfect turkey feast.
While wet, chilly conditions are in the forecast, severe weather is not. The National Weather Service in Fort Worth forecasts a chilly weekend, followed by light rainfall early week with things warming up before Thanksgiving. NWS Fort Worth doesn’t expect any rainfall on Thanksgiving Day.
“The average low temperature for this time of year should be about 45 F, and the average high temperature should be about 65 F,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Victor Murphy. “After near freezing low temperatures on Sunday morning, a gradual warm up is expected, with low temperatures between 40 F and 50 F the rest of the week. Basically near normal low temperatures. High temperatures are forecast to be between 50 F and 60 F. On average, this is about 10 F below normal. There is a 30% chance of light rain on Sunday night and Monday, and again on Wednesday night. Precipitation totals should be very light. Less than 1/10 total.”
Pre-Thanksgiving weather forecast
The NWS forecasts that North Texas temperatures will be below normal for much of the weekend, thanks to a strong cold front and brisk north winds arriving on Friday. Mornings will be chilly in the 20s and 30s, with 40s returning Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Highs will be in the 40s and lower 50s through Monday, before warming to 55-65 degrees just before Thanksgiving. Light, scattered rainfall could arrive early Thanksgiving week, but should shift to east of I-35/35E for Wednesday travel. No severe weather is expected in the upcoming holiday week.
Sunday, Nov. 20: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. On Sunday night, there’s a 30% chance of sprinkles before midnight, then showers after midnight. It will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.
Monday, Nov. 21: A 30% chance of showers, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50. It will remain mostly cloudy Monday night, with a low around 41.
Tuesday, Nov. 22: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56 and a low around 49. There’s a 20% chance of showers at night.
Wednesday, Nov. 23: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62.
“I would characterize the 7 day forecast as being slightly cooler than normal and also drier than normal,” Murphy said.
The Farmers’ Almanac, in its long range weather forecast for the South Central U.S., predicts a wintry mix in the region leading up to Thanksgiving Day, with cold rains on the coast and snow possible in West Texas.
Thanksgiving weather forecast
Any rainfall on Wednesday should taper off by daybreak on Thursday, Murphy says.
“The rain chances on Wednesday night are still quite low, 30% at most. And rainfall amounts, if it rains, should also be rather low, i.e. less than 1/10,” he said.
The Farmers’ Almanac also forecasts a “fair Thanksgiving,” followed by possible snow in the higher terrains of Texas.
