Thanksgiving

What to Expect for Weather This Thanksgiving and How it Compares to Years Past

Temperatures are expected to be above the Thanksgiving average in Chicago, but will likely still fall well short of record highs

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Chicago's Thanksgiving is shaping up to be a warm one.

After already receiving a taste of winter this November, Chicago-area residents are likely in for a reprieve for this Thanksgiving, with temperatures set to be above average.

While average temperatures for Thanksgiving are in the mid 40s, temperatures are expected to climb into the low 50s by the afternoon, with temperatures in the low 40s expected in the morning.

Skies will likely be partly cloudy in the morning before cloud cover becomes more prominent in the afternoon hours, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.

Rain showers may develop in the late afternoon to evening hours, with steadier rain more likely south of the Chicago area and in the southern suburbs. Suburbs north of Chicago are expected to receive little to no rain.

Thursday's expected high of 52 degrees and low of 38 degrees stray far from the historic extremes on Thanksgiving for Chicago, with the city's record for warmest and coldest high temperatures currently 69 degrees and 14 degrees, respectively.

Below is a look at the 10 warmest and coldest Thanksgivings in Chicago history, according to the National Weather Service:

10 Warmest Thanksgivings

  • 60 degrees (1879, 1976, 2015)
  • 61 degrees (1973, 1998)
  • 62 degrees (1981)
  • 63 degrees (1896, 1915, 2012)
  • 64 degrees (1914)
  • 69 degrees (1966)

10 Coldest Thanksgivings

  • 25 degrees (1903, 1956)
  • 24 degrees (1889, 1898, 1929)
  • 22 degrees (1945)
  • 19 degrees (1872, 1877, 1881)
  • 14 degrees (1930)

While no snow is forecasted for this year's Thanksgiving, snowfall has been recorded on 23 percent of Thanksgivings in Chicago since data was first collected in 1871, with 5 percent of Thanksgivings receiving one inch or more of snowfall.

Here's a look at the snowiest Thanksgivings in Chicago history:

10 Snowiest Thanksgivings

  • 0.5 inches (1902, 1945)
  • 0.6 inches (1903)
  • 0.9 inches (1944)
  • 1.1 inches (1975)
  • 1.2 inches (1947)
  • 1.5 inches (1953)
  • 1.8 inches (1950)
  • 2.1 inches (1893)
  • 2.5 inches (1949)
  • 3 inches (1980)
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