Central PA could see record-breaking Halloween weather. Check the latest forecast
Gearing up for Halloween? You might want to suit up in a lighter costume this year.
The latest forecast for the beloved holiday is calling for above-normal temperatures in the State College area, according to AccuWeather and the National Weather Service. Rain could play a factor heading into the later hours of the night Thursday, Oct. 31.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re trick-or-treating or heading out for Halloween this week in Happy Valley.
Centre County’s Halloween forecast
AccuWeather’s forecast for Halloween calls for a high of 78 degrees Fahrenheit in State College and a low of about 55 degrees. If current projections hold, the high and low temperatures will chase records in State College, according to NWS archive data.
“By Halloween standards, I’m not sure it can get any better than this,” AccuWeather meteorologist Tom Kines said. “Afternoon temperatures on Thursday ought to get well up into the 70s, and evening temperatures should be in the 60s. I’m not sure you can really beat that this late into October.”
“The only drawback is that if you’ve got a costume on without a whole lot of ventilation, it could get warm for you,” Kines added.
State College’s maximum recorded temperature Oct. 31 came in 1950 when the high reached 79 degrees, according to NWS records dating back to 1893. No State College Halloween’s high temperature was colder than 2002’s, which reached just 34 degrees.
The average maximum and minimum temperatures for Halloween in State College are 55 and 38 degrees, respectively, according to NWS archive data. The area received a spine-chilling night for trick-or-treating last year when the high temperature reached into the 40s.
Though Halloween in State College is shaping up to be warm, it might get wet, too. The forecast calls for roughly an 80% chance of showers in the late evening and overnight leading into Friday, but most rain should miss popular trick-or-treating times in the area.
“There is some threat of rain Thursday night, but it should hopefully hold off until after trick-or-treating. It looks like it will,” Kines said. “If it does rain, it shouldn’t be a whole lot. Having said that, any rain these days is something to get excited about during this dry spell.
Rain would be a welcome sight in Centre County and the rest of Pennsylvania. At least half of the commonwealth is experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions as of Oct. 22, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Centre County is excluded from those labels, but portions of southeastern and southwestern Pennsylvania are enduring severe drought, according to the agency report.
Roughly 77% of the U.S. mainland is at least abnormally dry at this point in the fall, according to a recent ABC News report. Experts say it’s so far shaping up to be the driest autumn on record.
State College remains on track for normal yearly precipitation despite an unseasonably dry autumn so far, according to NWS records. Roughly 38.39 inches of precipitation have fallen in 2024 to put the area above its yearly average of 35.04 between January and Oct. 28. However, the area has recorded just 1.71 inches of precipitation over the last 30 days — nearly half of the 3.38 usually expected in that span.
Kines expects dry weather to continue until about mid-November when patterns could present more frequent opportunities for rain.
“Not that we’re going to get a deluge with 3 inches in one day, but lately it’s been seven or 10 days between opportunities for rain,” Kines said. “As we get into November, we might get back closer to ‘normal’ with a chance for rain every three or four days. That would be good.”
Safety tips for Halloween
Whether you’re heading out to escort trick-or-treaters or grabbing some candy for yourself, it’s important to take simple steps to stay safe on Halloween.
Here are a few recommendations to keep in mind this Halloween, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the American Red Cross:
- Try to wear a flame-resistant costume. Costumes made at home should use flame-resistant fabrics like polyester or nylon.
- Wear bright, reflective costumes or add strips of reflective tape to improve visibility.
- Avoid costumes that are long enough to become a tripping hazard and masks that can obscure vision.
- Test costume makeup before Halloween to see if it might produce a rash, redness, swelling or other signs of irritation from an allergy.
- Avoid decorative contact lenses, as they may increase the risk of eye injury.
- Inspect candy before eating to look for allergens, choking hazards or treats with signs of tampering, such as an unusual color or torn label. If your children might be tempted to snack on candy while trick-or-treating, have them eat a snack before leaving home.
- Make sure children know where they’re going. Accompany them between houses when possible.
- Walk on sidewalks or, if a sidewalk isn’t available, walk along the edge of the road while facing traffic. Be sure to look both ways, cross only at corners and avoid crossing between cars or running across yards.
- Visit homes that have porch lights lit. Accept treats at the door, but never go inside a stranger’s home.
If you’re hosting trick-or-treaters this Halloween, be sure to light your walkways and sweep obstacles from your sidewalks, steps and porch to prevent tripping.
This story was originally published October 29, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
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