The weather outlook for November 24 to 30, inclusive of Thanksgiving and the entire Black Friday weekend, will trend on the mild side, according to forecasts from Planalytics.
Leading up to Black Friday, temperatures will moderate for the eastern half of the country. Early week, expect mild temperatures to last year and normal in the East and along the West Coast with cold focused in the Central Plains and Rockies. Precipitation along the East Coast and Pacific Northwest may cause some travel disruptions, says the forecast company.
As we move into the holiday weekend, temperature readings will register on the colder side of normal, although warmer than last year, particularly throughout the entire East Coast. Threats of snowfall will be heightened in the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest. The Pacific Coast will experience seasonal to warm temperatures over the holiday. The inter-mountain West will trend colder than normal and last year for the holiday weekend. While some areas of the country should dry out in time for Thanksgiving and the Black Friday weekend, threats of precipitation remain in the Northeast, Mid-South, Southern Plains, and Pacific Northwest.
Based on the warmer year-over-year temperatures in the East and along the West Coast, weather will support foot traffic into most businesses, says Planalytics. While the warmer and drier conditions to last year are ideal for store traffic, it is also likely to adjust what consumers will be putting in their baskets. Expect demand for cold weather seasonal categories such as sweaters, jackets, gloves, blankets, and heaters to lag last year.
For reference, Thanksgiving Day last year was coldest since 1993 and driest since 2002. Overall, the Black Friday weekend was the coldest in 4 years, driving strong demand for cold weather categories.
