Thanksgiving Day forecast is rain-free for many, snowy for some

Over 55 million people are predicted to travel for Thanksgiving this year, and even though the weather could cause significant disruptions leading up to the holiday, Mother Nature is cooking up much different weather for Thursday.

Following the soaking storm packing widespread rain and even some snow into Wednesday morning, dry weather is predicted to expand over the eastern United States by Thanksgiving Day.

The cool and rain-free weather Thursday morning will be perfect for turkey trots, a holiday tradition that dates back more than a century. The first turkey trot took place in Buffalo in 1896 and has since become a nationwide sensation with many races raising funds for charity.

Conditions will also be favorable for the famous Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, with AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek saying the weather will be a "solid 7 out of 10."

A person dressed in a turkey costume marches trough Times Square in Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on November 24, 2011 in New York City. The 85th annual event is the second oldest Thanksgiving Day parade in the U.S. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images)

The only areas where damp weather could interfere with holiday festivities are along part of the Gulf Coast and in South Florida.

Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa are among the top five Thanksgiving travel destinations this year, according to AAA, so people heading to these popular destinations may want to keep an umbrella nearby in the event of a rain shower or two.

The biggest weather-maker on Thanksgiving will unfold over the northern Rockies and northern Plains, the first stage of a new winter storm tracking across the country.

"Snow is expected to start in the northern Rockies on Thanksgiving Day but spread southeastward into Friday and Saturday, encompassing most of the southern Rockies," AccuWeather Meteorologist Emma Belscher said.

Following a dry Thursday with high temperatures in the upper 30s, conditions in Denver will deteriorate with accumulating snow on Friday that could pose a problem for post-Thanksgiving travelers.

The storm will also cause temperatures to tumble in the Plains, setting up a cold pattern throughout the extended holiday weekend.

The forecast for the West Coast this holiday will be similar to the East Coast, although it will be a bit milder across the Western states compared to the opposite side of the country.

Mild and dry weather will be good news for folks who plan on deep frying their Thanksgiving turkeys, although people using this cooking method should follow the proper safety guidelines to avoid a fiery, potentially disastrous situation.

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Dry conditions on Thursday will also be favorable for the Thanksgiving night football game between San Francisco and Seattle.

It will not just be dry in Seattle on Thanksgiving, but likely the entire holiday weekend. According to the National Weather Service, only three Thanksgiving weekends have been completely dry over the past 50 years. If it remains dry this weekend, 2023 will join 2002, 2007 and 2015 in the history books.

AccuWeather long-range experts say that a wetter pattern could start to develop over the West Coast near the end of November and into the start of December.

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