Warming trend expected for holiday week

Temperatures will warm up this week -- and not just for the turkeys.

A cooler than average beginning to the week will yield to slightly higher than normal temperatures by Thanksgiving, with mostly sunny skies predicted, said David Stark, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Upton bureau.

Sunday's high will be around 50 degrees, with mostly sunny skies becoming slightly cloudy by the evening, Stark said. Low temperatures overnight will be in the low to mid-30s.

Monday is expected to be similar to Sunday, with highs near 50 and lows in the low to mid-30s -- slightly lower than the normal average of 53 to 54 degrees for this time of year, Stark said.

A slight warming trend begins on Tuesday, with highs near the normal average and lows in the upper 30s. A slight increase in cloud cover on Tuesday could clear up by Wednesday, Stark said, and the day before Thanksgiving will bring a mostly sunny day with high temperatures in the mid-50s and lows in the middle 30s.

While the normal high temperature for Thanksgiving Day is 51 degrees, the forecast high temperature for the holiday this year is 55 degrees, with overnight lows in the upper 30s, Stark said.

Friday will see temperatures in the upper 50s for shoppers looking for holiday bargains, he said.

Light winds and no precipitation are expected for the week, Stark said.

"It's generally a steady forecast," he said.