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Chicago, IL – With Thanksgiving travel season just weeks away, forecasters say the first widespread snow of the season could blanket parts of the northern U.S. as early as mid-November, according to the NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC).
NOAA’s October 24, 2025 outlook shows a pattern shift beginning around November 12–22, bringing colder air and light snow to many regions that have remained mild through fall.
❄️ Regions to Watch
- Northern Rockies & Intermountain West: Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and Colorado are expected to see light to moderate snow between Nov. 12–20.
- Great Plains & Midwest: Dakotas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois could experience their first measurable snow between Nov. 15–23.
- Great Lakes & Ohio Valley: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania likely see flurries or light accumulation driven by lake-effect snow.
- Northeast & New England: Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and upstate New York could see the first widespread flakes ahead of Thanksgiving week.
- Appalachians & Mid-Atlantic Highlands: West Virginia, Virginia, and western Maryland may see early mountain snow mixed with rain by late month.
- Rockies & Southwest High Terrain: New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada could see summit snow and frost by Nov. 20.
Meanwhile, southern and coastal states — including California’s valleys, the Southeast, and the Gulf Coast — will remain largely frost-free, though overnight lows will trend cooler.
NOAA says these early flurries will not bring major winter storms but signal the official start of the 2025–26 snow season. Forecasters note that colder air will expand southward through Thanksgiving weekend, hinting at a potentially active December.
