The Farmers’ Almanac is forecasting cool air, rain and snow across much of the country for Thanksgiving 2026, while saying a massive storm still looks unlikely to wreck holiday travel.
Millions of Americans will hit the roads and airports for the holiday weekend, and the long-running almanac has now laid out a region-by-region look at what those travelers may face. Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, Nov. 26, and the outlook points to classic late-November weather rather than a coast-to-coast blowout.
FOX Weather meteorologists Stephen Morgan, Bayne Froney, Britta Merwin and Craig Herrera have broken down the same forecast and the Super El Niño pattern brewing for the late-fall and winter season, a setup they say is likely to fuel an active weather pattern in parts of the country.
Cool temperatures, snow and rain dominate the almanac’s national picture. At the same time, the almanac’s reporting holds that a massive snowstorm or severe weather does not seem likely, at this point, to upend plans.
In the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and New England, the call is for cooler air and mostly fair conditions. Higher elevations could still see snow flurries.
The Southeast is the clear winner on paper. Mild temperatures, dry weather and sunshine are expected there, some of the best holiday weather in the country, by the almanac’s own regional split.
Southern central states line up in a similar lane. Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico are tagged for more seasonable fall weather, with temperatures trending a little cooler in spots and widespread storms looking unlikely.
Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Midwest travelers get a harder edge. Temperatures there are cast as more winter-like and cold across Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and Wisconsin. Scattered snow showers could bring brief travel slowdowns.
Farther north and west, the Upper Midwest and North-Central Plains look typical for late November. Some light snow is possible from Minnesota south through Missouri and west toward the Rockies, including Wyoming, Montana and Colorado.
Pacific Northwest forecasts stay true to form: fall chill and periodic rain showers across Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Wet roads could be a nuisance. Major travel disruptions or big storms are not the base case.
The Southwest is mixed. Mountain snow is in play for interior western states, and light rain is possible in northern California, covering the California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah footprint.
That is the practical map for families packing cars and booking flights. Super El Niño may still shape a livelier winter after the holiday. For Thanksgiving week itself, the almanac’s message is cooler air and scattered wintry weather in the North, sunshine in the South, and no signal yet of a single storm strong enough to cancel the table.
Plan the route, watch the local forecast, and keep the gathering. Weather is a condition of the trip, not a reason to surrender the holiday.
