Much of the nation is predicted to be dry and seasonably mild to cool for Halloween, forecasters said, but there will be a few tricky spots where rainy or even snowy weather might interfere with the festivities.
“California, eastern Oklahoma and Texas, and the middle to lower Mississippi Valley might have a wet Halloween,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Brad Pugh in an email to USA TODAY.
As for snow, some could fall in the higher elevations of Colorado, AccuWeather lead long-range forecaster Paul Pastelok told USA TODAY, though it’s too soon to say if snow levels will reach Denver’s elevation – “but it will be close,” he added.
Fortunately, no widespread, extreme cold is expected anywhere in the Lower 48 states, Pugh said. “Forecast confidence is high that mild temperatures will prevail at the end of October,” he said.
Your Halloween forecast
Meteorologists say much of the East Coast should escape the rain on Halloween, but some costumes may need an extra layer underneath. Farther west, developing storms could bring a few unwelcome surprises to holiday festivities, according to AccuWeather.
“Halloween is one of those holidays when the weather can make a big difference in how families plan their evening,” said Pastelok, in a statement.
“With chilly conditions expected across the Northeast and Great Lakes and the possibility of rain in the Plains, some families may need to rethink what goes underneath or over their costumes,” he added. “A little preparation can go a long way, especially for younger children spending an hour or two outdoors.”
Dry for most of the East
At this time, the East Coast is most likely to have clear weather and a dry Halloween night, Pugh said Oct. 22.
Pastelok said that jackets may be a costume essential from Detroit to Boston, but most of the East Coast should stay dry. For the Northeast and Great Lakes, a chillier airmass will hang around Halloween but it should be dry, he said.
He said the mid-Atlantic and Southeast could be cool, with perhaps a sweatshirt or light jacket needed under one’s costume.
Stormy South Florida
One soggy spot in the East could be South Florida: “A few showers are possible in the lower Florida Peninsula and breezy conditions,” Pastelok said. Miami could see a few showers and stormy conditions, he added.
Showery southern Plains?
A southerly flow of air in the central and southern Plains combined with a developing cool front may lead to some showers on Halloween, according to Pastelok. “There may be a need for umbrellas, raincoats or clear ponchos. A thunderstorm cannot be ruled out as well,” he said.
Some showers and possibly a few thunderstorms could crash Halloween plans around Dallas and Oklahoma City, he said.
The national forecast map for Halloween shows mainly dry conditions in the East while the south-central U.S. can see some showers, along with coastal California.
Dry Midwest, northern Plains
The Northern Plains and Upper Midwest should be mainly dry, AccuWeather said, though parts of the area could be breezy, for example in cities such as Billings, Rapid City and Minneapolis. Temperatures should run near or above average, Pastelok said.
Wet, snowy Southwest, Rockies
A storm is forecast to bring rain and mountain snow showers to parts of the Southwest and central Rockies, where it will also be cooler than average.
“Showers could dampen plans from Phoenix and Albuquerque through El Paso and Austin, and the Pacific Northwest,” AccuWeather’s Anna Azallion said.
Mountain snow also threatens parts of the Southwest and Rockies. Specifically, some snow could fall in the higher elevations of Colorado. Denver will be right on the edge of the snow, according to the latest AccuWeather forecast.
Doyle Rice is a national correspondent for USA TODAY, with a focus on weather and climate.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Halloween forecast shows rain (or even snow) may hit some trick-or-treaters
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