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Thanksgiving Weather History/Extremes
Grand Island, NE
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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!
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** 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 |
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| 11/28/2013 |
35 |
20 |
0.00 |
0.0 |
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| 11/27/2014 |
38 |
15 |
0.00 |
0.0 |
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| 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 |
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| Past 10-Years Thanksgiving Extremes: Grand Island, NE (2012-2021) |
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| Warmest high temperature: 72° in 2017 (warmest on record!) |
| Coldest high temperature: 31° in 2019 |
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| Coldest low temperature: 15° in 2014 |
| Warmest low temperature: 35° in 2017/2012 |
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| Highest precipitation: 0.29" in 2015 |
| Highest Snowfall: 3.2" in 2015 |
For more climate related information, check out the following websites:
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