Weather and Traffic Forecast for Thanksgiving Week for The Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- The old adage “If you don’t like Texas weather, wait a minute” continues as we brace for Thanksgiving week and all the shenanigans that cooking, travel, and Black Friday bring along with them. Woodlands Online has its finger on the pulse - and eye on the barometer - for this week’s weather.

(Note that all figures in this forecast are based on current data as of mid-morning of Monday, November 22.)


Monday and Tuesday are effectively carbon copies of each other: projected highs for both days will be 70 degrees under sunny skies, with lows in the mid-40s. With humidity wavering around 60 degrees, any breezes you feel over the next couple of days will make the temperature feel a couple of degrees cooler, so bring your light jackets and maybe some sunblock for any outdoor excursions those days.

Wednesday will bring a significant shift in the air - literally and figuratively - as temps work their way up a few degrees higher, with a projected high of 77 degrees and a low in the low 50s. This is the stereotypical calm before the storm.

Don’t let the forecasted rains of Thursday dampen your Thanksgiving spirit. Currently, there’s between a 90-100 percent chance of rains hitting the area as temperatures head back south into the 60s. With the precipitation will come an increase in air quality, possibly giving your allergies a brief respite. This all combines to make Thanksgiving a perfect day this year to gather family indoors, enjoy some food, and kick back to watch television or play board games until the tryptophan coma kicks in.

Black Friday’s weather is planned to be cool and cloudy, with a high temperature of only 59 degrees and lows plunging into the low 40s. The long weekend will finish off with lows in the 40s and highs in the mid-60s, with cloudy skies and a 30 percent chance of rain on Sunday. Crisp temperatures and sunny skies will greet you as you stagger back to work on Monday.

Traffic-wise, conditions will be downright Dickensian - “Best of Times, Worst of Times” - for travelers. While school may be out all week for Conroe ISD and most private schools, drivers should still be on high alert for children playing at times when they’d usually be indoors. If you’re planning any long-distance travel, be sure to pace yourself and know beforehand your rest areas where you can pull over and stretch your legs/slap yourself awake.

If you’re a Woodlands resident, be extra aware of cars around you; they may be driven by visitors to the area who have no idea of our hidden entrances between the trees and our twisty-turny roads. In fact, today and tomorrow would be perfect days to get your brakes checked at your local mechanic. If you’re prone to road rage, you may wish to consider hunkering down or taking an Uber if you have to venture onto the roads.

Any moment now, we expect local law enforcement to officially announce it will be a “No-Refusal” weekend. Should you be pulled over this weekend on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, know that you will have to submit to a field sobriety test or breathalyzer test on-site; refusal to do so will allow the law enforcement officer in question to secure an electronic search warrant to bring you in to the station for a blood alcohol content (BAC) test.

This is Texas law, so - while we encourage anyone in need to procure legal counsel - you will have to do so after the test; anyone yelling that their rights are being trampled on will not find themselves in a better situation. In other words, we at Woodlands Online want you to not drive while intoxicated , whether by alcohol or any other reaction-altering ingesting.

Finally, be aware that many businesses that you would expect to be open on Thanksgiving won’t be this year, including The Woodlands Mall. More and more businesses are enabling their employees to spend time with families on Thanksgiving, so be sure to call beforehand if you simply must make a purchase. Even grocery stores and many gas stations will be on modified hours.

For Thanksgiving Week updates, Black Friday deals, and weekend stories, be sure to keep Woodlands Online bookmarked on all your devices.