The temperature hit a record 83 degrees in Chicago on Tuesday, but area residents are now bracing for what could be one of the coldest Halloweens on record.
Chicagoans generally consider Halloween to be cold and perhaps snowy, but most holidays are not. that cold, and they haven’t really been snowed in. In fact, according to the National Weather Service, the city of Chicago has only seen snow eight times on Halloween since record keeping began.
The area’s temperatures and precipitation typically change this time of year, so Halloween can seem cold in our memories, even if temperatures only drop from 75 to 60 degrees.
Residents may still have 2019 fresh in their minds, when it was 33 degrees and the city had a record snowfall of 3.4 inches.
In this context, it will be historically cold weather again in 2023.
In total, 49 Halloweens have seen highs in the 50s since records began 150 years ago. Compare that to 38 Halloweens in the 60s and 35 in the 40s. We also had 20 Halloweens in the 70s, and only one when the mercury was above 80 degrees.
The 30-year average high temperature for October 31 is 56 degrees, while the average low temperature is 41 degrees.
With that, let’s move on to the Halloween 2023 forecast. A compact, fast-moving area of low pressure is expected to move down southern Canada and across Minnesota and Wisconsin before sweeping across northeastern Illinois this week.
This will keep temperatures in the 30s, increase wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour, and will likely bring us a few snow showers.
On Sunday, the forecast high for October 31 will be 38 degrees, which would make the holiday the fifth coldest on record.
With the wind, you’ll feel like you’re in your twenties during party hours. The wind will become stronger in the afternoon and evening as the depression passes.
The Chicago area will see the chance for a few snow showers in the morning, but more scattered snow showers are possible in the afternoon and evening.
Temperatures are going to be above freezing, so we should see some “wet” snow that melts on contact. However, some snow accumulation on grass, cars and raised surfaces is possible. This means that Halloween costumes that aren’t water-resistant can also get wet, adding to the discomfort.
This is a very compact low pressure system that will get you in and out of the area in a day, but the timing couldn’t be worse for Halloween, so you’ll need to plan to stay dry and warm during your outing . -or-treat.
We’ll be happy to be back in the 50s by the end of the week!