NORTH CAROLINA -- Hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is just around the corner.
- Today's Forecast
- Interactive Radar
- Here's hoping you get the Thanksgiving weather you prefer!
With that in mind, I thought we would take a look at this Thanksgiving's weather pattern compared to some extremes from the past.
This year, a storm system will likely roll into the eastern US just prior to Thanksgiving. As of this typing, it looks like the coldest of the air behind that system would likely remain a little north of the Carolinas, so Thanksgiving might work out to feature temperatures relatively close to late-November averages.
Looking at climatology, with Thanksgiving falling in a transitional part of the weather calendar, a wide array of weather is possible for the holiday.
The coldest Thanksgiving on record in Boone was in 1953 when the high reached only 30 degrees following a low of 21. For Charlotte, the coldest Thanksgiving occurred in 2002 with a high of 43 and a low of 25. Hickory's coldest occurred in 1970 with a high of 41 and bone-chilling low of 14. Along the coast, Wilmington's coldest Thanksgiving occurred in 1947 with a high of 55 and a low of 34. For Cape Hatteras, 2000 takes the crown with a high of 46 and a low of 35.
Moving to the warmest Thanksgiving's on record, Charlotte's record year was 1985 with a high of 74. That same year, Blowing Rock managed to hit 64 while Boone's warmest on record occurred in 1977 with a high of 56. Hickory hit 67 in 1963, and a couple of observing sites near Wilmington hit 81 in 1985. Along the Outer Banks, Hatteras hit 77 in 1985.
The most rain to occur for any location in North Carolina on Thanksgiving day was 3.57 inches in 1983 in Bent Creek, which is located in the mountains a little SW of Asheville.
Here's hoping you get the Thanksgiving weather you prefer!