Written by: Emily Carter, Weather Correspondent
Updated using Met Office guidance at 04:00 UTC on Monday 24 November 2025.
London, Monday 24 November — The UK does not officially celebrate Thanksgiving, but tens of thousands of American expats, students and visitors will be carving turkeys in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and beyond this week. For anyone planning long-distance travel or a special dinner, the weather matters as much as the menu. Fresh guidance from the Met Office 5-day forecast points to a chilly start, frosty nights and a milder, wetter end to the week.
Households already juggling higher food, energy and travel costs — laid bare in the latest fiscal plans analysed in our UK Budget 2025: What to Expect explainer — may find that the late-November weather adds another layer of complexity to Thanksgiving-style gatherings.
Monday 24 November: A Chilly, Damp Start for Many
The week begins on a cold and unsettled note. Showers and longer spells of rain are spreading across eastern England and Scotland, with extensive cloud making it feel particularly raw along North Sea coasts. Western areas — including Wales, Northern Ireland and parts of southwest England — are seeing drier interludes, with some sunny spells punching through between scattered showers.
Even so, it will feel brisk everywhere. Met Office rainfall radar through the afternoon shows bands of heavier rain swinging across eastern Scotland and northeast England, while further showers drift into northern and western coasts. Stronger winds in the west will accentuate the chill, making it feel colder than the actual temperatures suggest.
Monday Night: Frosts Returning in the West
Overnight, showers continue to affect eastern counties, but skies are expected to clear further west. As winds ease, this sets the stage for a cold, frosty night in parts of Wales, Northern Ireland and western England. Rural spots could dip below freezing, with icy patches possible on untreated surfaces by Tuesday morning.
Tuesday 25 November: Bright, Cold and Mostly Dry
Tuesday offers a more settled day for much of the country. Under clearer skies, many areas will enjoy cold sunshine and crisp blue skies — the sort of day that looks inviting from indoors but still demands a winter coat outside.
Coastal fringes, particularly along the North Sea, may continue to see brisk winds and a few passing showers. For most, though, it will be a dry day: good news for early-week shopping runs, school runs and any advance travel ahead of Thursday’s celebrations.
Midweek Shift: Unsettled from Wednesday to Friday
From Wednesday onwards, the pattern changes. The Met Office expects the UK to turn more unsettled through the middle and latter part of the week, with Atlantic systems pushing in spells of rain and stronger winds at times. Cloud will thicken from the west and south-west, bringing periods of heavier rain to Ireland, Wales, western England and later Scotland.
Despite the greyer skies, there is one silver lining: a milder feel than of late. As winds swing round to a more south-westerly direction, temperatures are expected to lift a few degrees, taking the sting out of the daytime chill even as the rain arrives.
Thanksgiving Thursday: Travel Could Turn Soggy
Although Thanksgiving Thursday is a normal working day in Britain, restaurants, pubs and homes hosting US-inspired feasts may find the weather a complicating factor. Early model guidance and UK outlooks — also reflected in the broader BBC Weather UK forecast — suggest:
- Rain bands crossing Scotland and northern England, particularly later in the day.
- Blustery winds across western coasts, including parts of Wales and southwest England.
- Intermittent drier slots in central, southern and southeastern England, though with plenty of cloud.
- Milder temperatures nationwide compared with the start of the week.
Anyone planning evening gatherings or long drives for Thanksgiving-style dinners should anticipate wet roads, gusty crosswinds and reduced visibility in heavier bursts of rain. Public transport is unlikely to face major disruption, but journey times could be slower, especially on exposed routes.
Friday 28 November: Mild but Still Changeable
By Friday, the overall theme remains similar: relatively mild air but with further showers or longer spells of rain moving east. Some brighter breaks are likely in between, particularly for western areas once fronts have cleared through. For many, it will feel more like classic late-autumn Atlantic weather than the crisp, frosty conditions earlier in the week.
A Classic Late-November Mix
In summary, the UK’s “Thanksgiving week” forecast for 2025 offers a familiar November blend: cold sunshine and frosts to start, followed by a milder but wetter and windier turn mid-week. While no widespread severe weather is currently expected, localised travel issues are possible where heavier rain and stronger gusts coincide with peak journey times.
For expats hoping to bring a slice of American Thanksgiving to British shores, it may be wise to keep the umbrellas by the door and allow extra time for any cross-country trips — the weather, as always, will have a say in how the celebrations unfold.
