Halloween weekend is shaping up with a split forecast for trick-or-treaters on Saturday evening: dry, pleasant weather in some regions, and rain, wind or chilly air in others. A major storm is not expected, but the evening could still bring enough weather annoyances to change costume plans and whether families need umbrellas or jackets.
That is why parents are checking the forecast now as they get ready to shepherd their kids around their neighborhoods on Saturday. For many, the question is not whether Halloween will be ruined, but whether children can stay comfortable outside long enough to make the rounds without needing rain gear or a warmer costume.
In the Northeast, high pressure will be in control, and rain or snow is not expected. Temperatures should be pleasant by late-October standards, and winds should not be much of a problem. The one caveat is after sunset, especially in New England, where kids may want a warmer costume or jacket if they stay out longer.
The South is a different story. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are threatened on Saturday evening, although the forecast there has improved as the week has gone on. Wet weather is generally centered on the lower Mississippi Valley and eastern parts of Oklahoma, with pockets of showers also possible across Florida and southern Georgia. An umbrella is a smart call in parts of the South, even if evening temperatures in most areas are expected to stay in the 50s or 60s.
Winds are not expected to be much of a headache there, but they are not the only factor families have to think about. Showers, possibly with a rumble of thunder, are also threatened in parts of South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri, while light, short-lived showers are possible in parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and the upper Peninsula of Michigan. That leaves the country with a familiar Halloween pattern: some neighborhoods will be easy and comfortable, while others will be dealing with wet pavement, damp costumes or a colder walk than parents hoped for.
Saturday evening is the window that matters, and it is where the forecast will separate into two very different Halloween experiences. For trick-or-treaters, that means checking the sky before heading out may be as important as picking the candy route.
