Additional Heavy Rain and Flooding Concerns in Central Texas; Tropical Storm Chantal to Impact the Coastal Carolinas

Heavy rainfall and flooding concerns remain for today across Central Texas and the Hill Country, with scattered thunderstorms expected this afternoon and evening. Tropical Storm Chantal has formed and will bring heavy rainfall and flooding concerns to portions of the coastal Carolinas. Life-threatening surf and rip currents are expected from the Southeast to Mid-Atlantic. Read More >

Thanksgiving Weather History/Extremes
Grand Island, NE

Since 1942, Thanksgiving has been observed on the fourth Thursday of November, thus ranging in date from the 22nd-28th (prior to 1942, it was often observed on the last Thursday of November).

Weather-wise, as is typical of the late-fall season in south central Nebraska, Thanksgiving weather conditions can vary dramatically from one year to the next. Just in the past 30 years, high temperatures in Grand Island have ranged from 16° to 72°, and lows have ranged from 1° to 39°! The information and tables below feature a wealth of Thanksgiving weather and climate information focused specifically on Grand Island, Nebraska, where November weather records date back 127 years to 1895.

Temperatures: According to the entire period of record, the warmest Thanksgiving occurred just five years ago in 2017 with a balmy high of 72º, while the coldest low temperature was a frigid -2º in 1938. Only 16-of-127 Thanksgivings on record (13%) have featured high temperatures of 60º-or-warmer, but 8 of these have occurred in the past 25 years. However, there have also been plenty of legitimately-cold Thanksgivings in recent years, including three years ago in 2019 and four-consecutive ones from 2013-2016 that failed to reach 40º. As for bone-chilling cold, Thanksgiving 1985 (high of 14º/low of 3º) and 1993 (high of 16º/low of 1º) stand out among the coldest of the last several decades.

Precipitation/Snowfall: As for liquid precipitation equivalent (often including melted snow), measurable amounts of 0.01"-or-more have occurred in 19-of-127 years, or only 15% of the time. In the past 28 years, only two have featured measurable amounts (2019/2015). Measurable Thanksgiving snow (at least 0.1") has been quite rare on the actual holiday itself, with only 10 instances on record (including three years ago). The 3.2" that fell seven years ago in 2015 was actually the 3rd-snowiest Thanksgiving on record, falling slightly short of the 4.0" measured in 1931 and 1919. However, when including the entire "Thanksgiving weekend" as part of the holiday, 1983 certainly stands out: while Thanksgiving itself (on the 24th) was seasonable and dry, the 26th-27th (Saturday-Sunday) combined to pile up 13.6" of snow!

** Thanksgiving 2021 RECAP (sunny...but the overall-coldest day of Nov.):
Although temperatures were only modestly-below normal/average (afternoon high of 38º and morning low of 19º), it likely "seemed" colder than it really was given that Thanksgiving just happened to be the overall-coldest day in an otherwise very mild month. However, other than a chill in the air there sure wasn't much to complain about, as skies featured plentiful sunshine and winds were fairly light, averaging 10-15 MPH out of the northwest in the morning but then only 5-10 MPH in the afternoon as direction flipped around to southerly. SIDE NOTE: As further evidence of just how "cold" Thanksgiving was compared to Nov. 2021 as a whole, the previous day (Wed. Nov. 24) was 15º warmer with a high of 53º...and the following day (Fri. Nov. 26) was an incredible 30º warmer with a high of 68º! **
Grand Island NE	Max Temperature	Min Temperature	Precipitation
30-Year Normals (1991-2020)	47	25	0.03
10-Year Averages (2012-2021)	45.9	24.8	0.03

Grand Island NE Thanksgiving Extremes (Since 1895)
Warmest Thanksgiving On Record (High Temp)	72° in 2017
Coldest Thanksgiving On Record (High Temp)	14° in 1985
Coldest Low Temperature	-2° in 1938
Warmest Low Temperature	39° in 1997
Most Liquid Equivalent Precipitation On Record	0.93" in 1896
Snowiest Thanksgiving On Record	4.0" in 1931/1919

Top 5 Warmest Highs	Top 5 Coldest Lows	Top 5 Wettest	Top 5 Snowiest
72° (2017)	-2° (1938)	0.93" (1896)	4.0" (1931/1919)
71° (1998)	1° (1993)	0.41" (1931)	3.2" (2015)
70° (1914)	3° (1985/1975/1952/1919)	0.35" (1928)	3.0" (1928)
67° (1976)	4° (1950)	0.30" (1919)	1.4" (1979)
66° (2011)	6° (2010/1896)	0.29" (2015)	0.5" (1993/1958/1950)

The Last Time _____ Happened On Thanksgiving?

Last time high temp at least 70°: 72° in 2017 (warmest on record!)

Last time high temp at least 60°: 64° in 2018

Last time the high temp was 40° or colder: 31° in 2019

Last time the high temp was 30° or colder: 16° in 1993

Last time the low temp was 10° or colder: 6° in 2010

Last time the low temp was 35° or warmer: 35° in 2017

Last time measurable precipitation fell (0.01" or more): 0.04" in 2019

Last time measurable snow fell (0.1" or more): 0.3" in 2019

Last time it snowed at least 1": 3.2" in 2015

In the past 30 years...

- Since 1992, high temperatures on Thanksgiving have ranged from 16° (1993) to 72° (2017)
- Since 1992, low temperatures on Thanksgiving have ranged from 1° (1993) to 39° (1997)
- Since 1992, the high temperature on Thanksgiving has exceeded 65° three times (2017, 2011, 1998)
- Since 1992, the low temperature on Thanksgiving has dipped below 15° three times (2010, 2007, 1993)
- Since 1992, measurable precipitation (0.01" or more) has fallen three times (led by 0.29" in 2015)
- Since 1992, measurable snow (0.1" or more) has fallen three times (led by 3.2" in 2015)

Grand Island, Nebraska - Past 10 Years Summary
Thanksgiving (2012-2021)

Date	Max Temperature	Min Temperature	Precipitation	Snowfall	Weather Conditions
11/22/2012	60	35	0.00	0.0
11/28/2013	35	20	0.00	0.0
11/27/2014	38	15	0.00	0.0
11/26/2015	34	21	0.29	3.2	First snow in 22 yrs
11/24/2016	38	29	0.00	0.0	foggy, dreary
11/23/2017	72	35	0.00	0.0	record-warmest!
11/22/2018	64	30	0.00	0.0	mostly sunny/breezy
11/28/2019	31	16	0.04	0.3	snow AM, freez. drizzle PM
11/26/2020	49	28	0.00	0.0	mostly sunny
11/25/2021	38	19	0.00	0.0	sunny-but-chilly
10-Year Averages	45.9	24.8	0.03	0.3