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With Thanksgiving just around the corner, there are four things we're watching in the nation's weather this week as November comes to a close and December arrives.
1. Calm and cool start: If the map below looks a bit blank, that's because once the frontal system clears over New England on Monday, the country's weather becomes very calm for a day or two. Lake effect snow, heavy in some areas, is expected on Tuesday.
It will be very cold for most of the country early in the week, especially in the east and in the morning. For more details on temperatures, check the daily forecast maps for highs and lows.
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2. The south turns wet again later: After a drier start, we expect rain and some thunderstorms to return to the southern Plains starting Thursday. This rain could spread across parts of the South and Ohio Valley from Friday into Saturday.
If that's not enough, computer models also indicate that another round of heavy rain could reach some of these same areas next weekend.
This is good news for the ongoing drought, but locally heavy rains could lead to flash flooding in some areas.
3. The cold gradually subsides: As mentioned earlier, the week will start off cold, and be somewhat stubborn for several days.
But as the week goes on, cooler-than-average air will gradually retreat into the northern Plains, then into the south.
By the first full week of December, much of the lower 48 may be somewhat milder than normal, with the exception of parts of the Southwest.
4. The return of rain and mountain snow on the western coast: There are multiple chances for rain and mountain snow in the west this week.
The first arrives around midweek and is expected to mainly affect Northern California with mainly light rain. Some other disturbances could spread rain and mountain snow across parts of California, Oregon and Washington late this week.
(more: What could El Niño mean for California this winter and spring?)
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