By Alex Sosnowski, Senior Expert Meteorologist for AccuWeather.com
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (November 21, 2010)—AccuWeather.com reports very cold air continues to build over western Canada and will make a move on the East Thanksgiving Day, lasting through the long holiday weekend.
The blast will bring the coldest air of the season so far, accompanied by gusty winds, frequently gusting to 40 mph.
It is possible places in the Appalachians will not climb above freezing for a two-day stretch from Black Friday to Saturday, while high temperatures over much of the I-95 corridor may struggle to surpass 40 degrees.
AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures may be in the single digits, teens and 20s at the height of the cold outbreak.
We will have more details on how cold and windy it will get in the coming days. Read on for more of what we do know at this time.
It does appear that one or two storms will precede the cold outbreak, bringing mostly rain to the region Wednesday into Thanksgiving Day. However, a mixed variety of snow, ice and rain with travel problems may affect northern New England and upstate New York at that time.
The storm and cold, gusty winds will cause travel delays at major airport hubs from Denver to Chicago during the middle of Thanksgiving week.
There is a "chance" of rain for parades on Thanksgiving Day in New York City, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Plymouth, Mass. How wet it gets will depend on the track and strength of a storm that has not even formed yet.
As cold air charges in following the Thanksgiving storm, rain could end as snow in some northern areas and in the mountains later that day and at night.
A significant lake-effect snow event would follow as cold air rushes over the warm waters of the Great Lakes Thanksgiving night through much of the weekend.
People who traditionally put up holiday lights outdoors during Thanksgiving weekend may want to advance these activities by one week. The weather this weekend will be much less painful for those outdoors.
Even people who don't mind winter cold may have some issues with this outbreak, as there has been nothing like it so far this season, and it will rival some outbreaks we typically see in the dead of winter.