Moderate temperatures on tap for holiday weekend

By Aida Ahmed

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011 | 4 p.m.

This year’s holiday weekend’s weather won’t get in the way of backyard football games and Black Friday shopping.

Temperatures are expected to be much warmer than last Thanksgiving and Black Friday, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Harrison.

Although a storm is approaching the West Coast, it won’t affect much of the valley. On Thursday, the skies will be filled with clouds and the high is 64 degrees with light winds. But unlike Wednesday, which had a high of 65 degrees, the weather will feel cooler.

“It won’t feel as warm because we’ll have cloud coverage,” Harrison said.

Last year, the high temperature Thanksgiving Day was 48 degrees and the low was 33 degrees.

But this year after Thanksgiving dinner, temperatures will cool down to the upper 50s by 7 p.m. and reach the mid-50s by 10 p.m.

Chilly weather is in store for Black Friday shopping as the night’s low temperature will hit the mid-40s for the remainder of the night until sunrise, Harrison said.

The early-morning temperatures Friday will be the coldest of the weekend, in the mid-40s. The valley will have sunny skies Friday afternoon with a high temperature of 65 degrees and low winds.

After the holiday festivities, temperatures will warm up. Saturday will be mostly sunny with a high of 65 degrees and fairly light winds.