Thanksgiving this year will be very different for those of us adhering to new, stricter pandemic guidelines. For one, we'll be having a smaller-than-usual holiday feast.   

But, the upside is we'll be able to have it outdoors, unlike last year's Thanksgiving Day when it rained, hailed, flooded, and snowed all across Southern California.  

What You Need To Know

  • Thanksgiving 2020 will be warmer than last year's

  • Temperatures will be cool to mild (slightly below average)

  • Average daytime highs are in the upper 60s to low 70s

  • No rain and snow expected, but Santa Ana winds will increase

Check out the difference for downtown Los Angeles.  

What's Different This Year

Like last year, there will be a storm moving across the West on Thanksgiving Day. But we won't get any rain, hail, flooding, and snow over SoCal because the storm will be sliding over the interior portions of the West, instead of along or near the coast. 

Last Thanksgiving Day, downtown LA, and many other cities, picked up an inch or more of rain, though Long Beach received 2.18" of rain.  Local mountains received, not inches, but feet of snow. 

Thanksgiving 2019 Storm Highlights

  • One to three feet of snow fell over local mountains between 5,500-7,500 feet  

  • Caltrans shut down Highway 18 through Sunday due to numerous vehicle slide-outs 

  • On Highway 38 in San Bernardino Co, 20 abandoned vehicles made it hard for Caltrans to clear snow

  • CHP and Caltrans responded to 10 crashes involving snow plows
  • Mt. Baldy Ski Resort received a little over three feet of snow at its base
  • On Highways 74 and 371 in Riverside County, 45 cars got stuck on snow covered roads

Biggest Weather Issue This Year

This Thanksgiving weekend, we do have to be extra careful outdoors, especially inland. 

"It'll be noticeably windy at times traveling through the mountains and passes," said Mark Moede, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.  "Be careful if you plan to drive along Interstate 10 and the San Gorgonio Pass." 

A ridge of high pressure will develop west of the storm mentioned above, and this combination will create weak to moderate Santa Anas (easterly and northeasterly winds) gusting 25-40 mph.     

Winds will develop Thursday afternoon, peak Friday, and decrease Saturday.

During the day, the Santa Anas will lead to a slight warm-up from Thanksgiving Day.  

 

 

Traveling out of state for the holiday? Check out our national forecast to see what you can expect.