Sweater weather or unseasonably warm for Thanksgiving in SC? Farmers’ Almanac has predictions

Patrick McCreless
Eddie V’s

When South Carolinians load up the kids and that casserole before heading to grandma’s for turkey day this year, they should probably remember to bring their jackets.

The Thanksgiving holiday is around the corner once again and like millions of other Americans, South Carolina residents will soon be making trips to see loved ones.

But as you’re traveling to meet up with family and friends or just to pick up a can of cranberry sauce that you forgot to buy earlier, what sort of weather will you face?

The Farmers’ Almanac might have answers to help you plan. And not just for Thanksgiving Day proper. The Farmers’ Almanac forecast covers Nov. 24 through Nov. 27 — the entire holiday travel weekend.

Predictions for South Carolina

For its Thanksgiving holiday weather predictions, the Farmers’ Almanac lumps South Carolina in with the rest of the Southeast, which also includes Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida.

According to the Almanac, South Carolinians should bring sweaters because it will be “mostly fair, cold for Thanksgiving holiday.” That should be a nice change of pace from the cold winds and rainy weather the Almanac predicts for South Carolina on the days leading up to the holiday, Nov. 20-23 to be exact.

The rest of the U.S.

The Almanac predicts some parts of the U.S. will see similar weather to South Carolina over Thanksgiving, while others can expect snow.

Northeast and New England

  • The weather will improve for Thanksgiving and be mostly fair and cold.

Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Midwest

  • Mostly fair and cold.

North Central

  • A mostly fair Thanksgiving, followed by heavy snows of up to 12 inches for Northern, Central Rockies.

South Central

  • A fair Thanksgiving, followed by significant snow in higher terrains of western New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma, the Almanac predicts.

Northwest

  • Fair weather at first, before becoming stormy, with gales and heavy snow over the mountains.

Southwest

  • Showery rains, possibly heavy over southern California, as well as possibly heavy snow over higher terrain in Arizona.

How the Farmers’ Almanac predicts the weather

Founded in 1818, the Farmers’ Almanac uses a secret formula that includes components such as “sunspot activity, tidal action, the position of the planet,” to predict long-range weather forecasts. The forecasts are typically made two years in advance. Fans of the Farmers’ Almanac have, over the years, calculated that the predictions are accurate 80-85% of the time.

Other Thanksgiving weather forecasts

AccuWeather, a media company that provides worldwide commercial weather forecasting services, has its own Thanksgiving forecast for the Southeast, which has predictions similar to the Almanac.

“Sitting under a ridge of high pressure, much of the Southeast, from the Carolinas to the Gulf Coast can expect partly to mostly sunny skies and comfortably mild temperatures,” AccuWeather reports.

The National Weather Service has already released its long-range forecast predictions for October, November and December. The NWS predicted slightly above average temperatures and somewhat below normal rainfall for the Southeast.

Advertisement