DETROIT (WWJ) — Thanksgiving Day is fast approaching and preparations are well underway for festivities in Downtown Detroit.
With thousands heading downtown for America's Thanksgiving Parade, the Lions game and the Turkey Trot, many Metro Detroiters will be keeping an eye on the weather forecast.
We always hear talks of wanting a "White Christmas" in Michigan, but many of us aren't quite ready for the snow on Thanksgiving. But we may just get it.
As of Friday afternoon, AccuWeather says Thursday will be "mostly cloudy with a chance of snow." The high temperature is forecast to be 40 degrees, with a low of 31.
How rare would it be for snow on Thanksgiving Day? The National Weather Service in Detroit says we've only seen it 11 times since 1959, and it hasn't happened since 2013, when we just had a little bit of snow.
Detroit hasn't had accumulated snow on Thanksgiving since 2005.
In a graphic posted to social media Friday, the NWS says we've had no snow on the ground, but new snowfall five times — 2013, 2004, 1980, 1976 and 1969.
There was 1-3 inches of depth in 2005, 1996, 1985, 1974 and 1971. Only once — in 1975 — did the city see more than three inches of snow on Thanksgiving Day.
It will likely remain that way this year, with AccuWeather putting the chance of snow at 35% on Thursday. But if you're heading downtown for the parade or Lions game, you'll still want to bundle up. Here's everything you need to know about Thanksgiving festivities in Detroit, from road closures and where to park, to the parade route and more.
It's been a little more common to see snow on Thanksgiving a bit further north, as Flint had more than an inch on the ground 11 times since 1954, including last in 2015. That area also saw new snow on Thanksgiving on seven occasions, last in 2013, and more than three inches twice, the last time being in 2004.
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