As frightful festivities ramp up leading up to Halloween, there’s trouble brewing for ghosts and goblins by way of storms in at least two portions of the United States.
As AccuWeather reports, parties, parades, neighborhood masquerades and parking lot trunk-or-treat activities make up the majority of outdoor Halloween activities in the week ahead. The weather will generally cooperate, except for portions of the East and the Northwest.
A storm forecast to take shape along the Atlantic Seaboard has the potential to evolve beyond nuisance rain and breezes with some ties to that powerful hurricane brewing in the Caribbean named Melissa. A nor’easter may fill the gap between Melissa offshore and colder air and showers in the Midwest. The seeds of the non-tropical part of that storm setup will bring drenching rain and severe thunderstorms to parts of the South Central states on Sunday for outdoor activities.
According to AccuWeather meteorologists, the combination of Melissa tracking offshore, a developing storm, and a blast of cold air arriving could create hazardous conditions from parts of the Southeast states early this week to much of the Northeast during the middle and latter part of this week.
For the earlier part of the week, areas of rain will expand in the zone from Arkansas to Florida, northward into Ohio, Maryland, Delaware and the Carolinas. Locations such as Bat Cave and Transylvania County, North Carolina, can expect rounds of rain each day (and evening) from Monday to Wednesday.
As the stormy pattern slowly takes shape in the Southeast during the first part of this week, a long train of storms will continue to affect the coastal areas of the Northwest with rounds of rain and wind in lower elevations along the coasts of Washington and Oregon late week into next weekend. The pattern is more typical of late November to early December and will bring some snow to the higher elevations of the Cascades.
Farther south, locally gusty winds associated with a Santa Ana could make for some difficulties for trick-or-treaters in parts of Southern California from mid- to late week. Extra caution is advised with open flames such as candles and bonfires.
Is a Monster Storm Brewing in the Northeast on Halloween?
Late in the week in the eastern U.S., the budding nor’easter, chilly air and perhaps tropical moisture from Melissa offshore will create stormy and hazardous conditions from the mid-Atlantic to New England.
The greatest risk of heavy rain with strong winds will be in northern New England and New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Canada, on Halloween. However, blustery and showery conditions are likely for at least part of the period Friday and Friday night in Sleepy Hollow, New York; Salem, Massachusetts; and Bad Axe, Michigan.
Given the amount of cold air sweeping in, which will send AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures into the 20s F at times, actual temperatures may dip enough to bring some accumulating snow to some of the higher elevations of the Appalachians.
Wind gusts could get strong enough to blow around decorations and pose the risk of falling branches and tree limbs on Halloween, from the Great Lakes to the Northeast.
Some of the best weather on Halloween will be in places such as Frankenstein, Missouri; Casper, Wyoming; Tombstone, Arizona; and Doomsday, Alabama; with dry and clear conditions in store. Even Death Valley, California, will rank high on the best weather list.
For those holding off on parties or outdoor Halloween activities until next weekend, the weather will improve, but remain blustery and cold in the Midwest and Northeast with showers of rain and wet snow over the interior.
Some of the chilliest air of the season so far will even settle into Florida. The storm train will continue along the Northwest coast.
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