Frigid Airmass to Bring Significantly Colder Temperatures; Snow Continues Downwind of the Great Lakes

A frigid cold airmass will bring significantly colder weather across the eastern two thirds of the country early this week. Record low temperatures are expected in the Southeast by Tuesday morning. Moderate to heavy lake effect snow will continue downwind of the Great Lakes through Monday. Several inches of snow accumulation is expected, including in portions of the Chicago Metro Read More >

Thanksgiving

PERIOD OF RECORD: 154 YEARS (1871 - 2024)

Thanksgiving occurs on the fourth Thursday in November. Prior to 1942 Thanksgiving was routinely celebrated on the last Thursday of November. The highest temperature recorded on Thanksgiving is 69F degrees on November 26th 1896. The lowest the mercury has fallen to on Thanksgiving is 7F on November 22nd 2018. The high temperature averages 45F degrees, and the low 31F degrees on Thanksgiving.

An early season frigid airmass dropped across the Great Lakes for Thanksgiving of 2018. The temperature under clear skies dropped to 7F degrees before midnight, this after only registering a high of 19F during the day.

Temperature (F) Data

Highest	69	1896
Lowest	7	2018
Average High	45
Average Low	31

Precipitation Records

Greatest Precipitation

0.88"

1968

Almanac Data for Recent Thanksgivings

Year	Date	High	Low	Precip	Snow
1980	27th	37	27	0.20	0.5
1981	26th	44	26	0.10	0.0
1982	25th	38	23	0.00	0.0
1983	24th	56	38	0.02	0.0
1984	22nd	36	18	0.00	0.0

1985	28th	35	30	0.50	4.9
1986	27th	45	31	T	0.0
1987	26th	47	34	0.02	0.0
1988	24th	42	25	0.00	0.0
1989	23rd	27	13	T	T

1990	22nd	59	44	0.37	0.0
1991	28th	46	32	0.33	0.4
1992	26th	57	40	T	0.0
1993	25th	30	21	T	T
1994	24th	44	21	T	T

1995	23rd	37	29	0.03	0.3
1996	28th	27	11	0.05	0.7
1997	27th	42	30	T	T
1998	26th	47	39	0.15	0.0
1999	25th	46	38	0.05	0.0

2000	23rd	23	14	0.06	1.3
2001	22nd	52	34	0.00	0.0
2002	28th	33	16	0.02	0.2
2003	27th	49	27	0.36	0.0
2004	25th	45	28	0.02	T

2005	24th	34	15	0.03	1.0
2006	23rd	50	24	0.00	0.0
2007	22nd	40	28	0.58	0.8
2008	27th	37	34	T	T
2009	26th	54	39	0.03	0.0

2010	25th	40	29	0.07	0.00
2011	24th	51	28	0.00	0.00
2012	22nd	61	31	0.00	0.00
2013	28th	28	14	0.03	1.4
2014	27th	33	28	0.05	0.4

2015	26th	61	44	0.00	0.0
2016	24th	42	32	0.16	T
2017	23rd	38	29	0.00	0.0
2018	22nd	19	7	T	0.3
2019	28th	41	30	0.07	T

2020	26th	55	46	0.05	0.0
2021	25th	48	40	0.03	0.0
2022	24th	55	25	0.00	0.0
2023	23rd	45	39	0.00	0.0
2024	28th	40	36	0.24	0.0