Good news for Thanksgiving?

It looks as if weather patterns across the eastern United States are shaping up nicely for Carolinas residents during the Thanksgiving holiday week.

Translated ... travelers apparently won't have to deal with big storms, and those who enjoy a winter-like feel to the air will get their wish on Thanksgiving Day.

If your preference is for shorts and T-shirts on Thanksgiving, sorry!

Thanksgiving week will be ushered in with a fairly significant storm system across the eastern United States. Low pressure will move up the Ohio Valley late Saturday and Sunday. A weak cold air damming event could develop in the Carolinas Piedmont and Foothills on Sunday, but it probably won't last long -- especially in the Piedmont.

That will set the stage for a rainy Sunday, with temperatures in the 60s.

By the way, the atmosphere will have one element needed for severe weather Sunday -- wind shear. But instability will be lacking, so we're probably looking at showery weather.

The showers will taper off Monday, and we'll be in a warm sector for the day before another cold front arrives. That means highs in the upper 60s and lower 70s.

The next cold front arrives Monday night, and it will be followed by another front later in the week. By Thanksgiving, we're probably looking at high temperatures in the low to mid 40s for Charlotte, with sub-freezing morning lows. But there are no signs of major storm systems, even for the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Incidentally, our warm-up Sunday and Monday will sweep into the North. Highs in the 60s are possible for New York and Philadelphia.  Places along the Great Lakes that were hit with heavy snow this week will see a rapid melt-off Sunday and Monday.

For Thanksgiving holiday travelers, the advance outlook is good.

"I don't see anything that will be a problem in the Southeast for travelers on Tuesday and Wednesday," said Chris Horne, of the National Weather Service office in Greer, S.C.