Thanksgiving Day Weather at Bangor and Caribou

Thanksgiving Day Weather at Bangor and Caribou

Since being fixed at the fourth Thursday in November by law in 1941, the holiday in the United States can occur on any date from November 22^nd to the 28^th. When it falls on November 22^nd or 23^rd, it is not the last Thursday, but the penultimate Thursday in November. Regardless, it is the Thursday preceding the last Saturday of November.  Prior to 1941 Thanksgiving Day was the last Thursday of November.  For the purposes of this write-up we will examine the weather on Thanksgiving Day since 1941.

At Bangor, the warmest Thanksgiving was in 1953 when the high temperature was 60 degrees.  The lowest temperature observed was 7 above in 1974.  The lowest high temperature observed was 19 degrees in 1989.  The normal high ranges from 40F on the 28^th to 43 on the 22^nd.  The normal low ranges from 24F on the 28^th to 27F on the 22^nd.

What are the chances of a white Thanksgiving?  We will define a white Thanksgiving as having at least 1 inch of snow on the ground on Thanksgiving Morning.  Over the years, a white Thanksgiving has been observed 15 percent of the time.  The snowiest Thanksgiving was in 1987 when 11.8 inches of snow was observed. 

At Caribou, the warmest Thanksgiving was in 1953 when the high temperature was 61 degrees.  The lowest temperature observed was 1 above in 1951.  The lowest high temperature of 17 degrees was observed in 1989. The normal high ranges from 33F on the 28^th to 35F on the 22^nd.  The normal low ranges from 19F on the 28^th to 22F on the 22^nd. 

What are the chances of a white Thanksgiving?  The chances are much better at Caribou with an inch or more of snow on the ground 61 percent of the time on Thanksgiving morning.  The greatest snow depth on Thanksgiving was 25 inches in 1974 when two major snow storms affected the area in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. The snowiest Thanksgiving Day was in 1971 when 7.7 inches of snow was observed.

This year (2018) we are expecting a record cold Thanksgiving.  The high temperature forecast for Caribou of 10F would smash the previous record low high temperature for November 22nd of 18F, in 1972.  At Bangor, the forecast high of 14F would break the previous record of 24F, set in 2008.