Chilly air has arrived for Thanksgiving Day

Happy Thanksgiving friends! Today will deliver a classic late-November feel, with sunshine from start to finish with cooler air in place. Afternoon highs will struggle to reach the low 50s, topping out near 52°. It’s the kind of day where the sun helps, but you’ll still want a jacket if you’re heading out for a walk after dinner.

Black Friday follows with another dry, bright day just colder. Highs only make it into the upper 40s, and with a light breeze, it will feel a bit sharper in the air. Shoppers heading out early will definitely notice the chill. The weekend keeps the same pattern rolling with plenty of sunshine, no rain, and temperatures hovering between the mid-40s and low 50s. It’s a stable, quiet weather stretch that’s perfect for travel or outdoor plans.

Highs will struggle to clear the 30s and 40s from the High Country down to the Sandhills between Thanksgiving Thursday and Saturday as hard freezes in the teens and 20s settle in overnight. There’s no denying the cold, but abundant sunshine in the afternoons going forward will make the winter-like conditions a bit more manageable.

Rain chances return to the Carolinas on Sunday as another rainmaking system sweeps in from the west. If you’re a fan of wintry weather, you’ll want to keep a close eye on Tuesday of next week. While models keep us wet right now, the setup is there for things to turn wintry if we can get some colder air to migrate farther south.