Slight changes in store for Thanksgiving weather

Futurecast for 11-27-19 (KPRC2)

HOUSTON – The day before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year, so the weather is important.

Here are four things you need to know:

Recommended Videos



1) Temperatures are cool heading into the holiday.

A pre-dawn cold front ushered in cooler air to southeast Texas, so look for noticeably lower temperatures Wednesday. The mercury will hover in the low to mid-60s for most of the day, so a sweater or light jacket will be a good thing. The day will start bright, with mostly sunny skies, but clouds will begin to filter back into the area in the afternoon.

2) Wednesday travel looks dicey for parts of the U.S.

Traveling on Wednesday will be mostly trouble-free if you’re driving the roads in Texas. West Texas will get some late-day rain and the Texas Panhandle might see some evening snow, too, but other regions in the state will be dry.

Nationally, storm systems in the Midwest could cause major headaches for air travelers. Also, an intense west coast storm will certainly cause airport delays from Seattle to Southern California. This will likely cause ripple effects to other travel destinations across the country. Check with your airline to make sure you’re on top of any delays.

Futurecast for Thanksgiving (KPRC2)

3) Thanksgiving weather looks cooler than normal in Houston

Thanksgiving weather in Houston won’t be picture-perfect, but it won’t be terrible either. Expect mainly cloudy skies with temperatures in the 50s and 60s. A scattered light shower or two could drift through the area, so don’t be surprised if you get hit by a brief sprinkle.

Futurecast for 11-30-19 (KPRC2)

4) Weekend cold front brings big changes to Houston and could make return travel troublesome across the U.S.

After a brief, post-Thanksgiving warm-up, A strong Saturday cold front will bring much chillier weather back to the area beginning Sunday. Expect a round of showers and storms late Saturday, followed by a return to well below-normal temperatures for the first half of next week.

Return travel on Sunday could be tricky for – you guessed it – the northeast and west coast. The same regions facing storms during pre-holiday travel will face more bad weather as people head home on Sunday. While travel on the roads in Texas will be smooth, the coastal storms could once again cause a rash of delays at major airports across the country. Be prepared!

Futurecast for 12-01-19 (KPRC2)

About the Author:

Meteorologist, runner, triathlete and proud Houstonian.