Halloween 2026 falls on Saturday, October 31, giving families and communities a full weekend for trick-or-treating, costume parties, haunted attractions, and outdoor festivals. The good news is that meteorologists are predicting much of the country will be dry with mild temperatures. But not everywhere will be so lucky, with a threat of plummeting temps, rain and even snow in some regions.
The exact forecast for Halloween weekend is not yet reliable enough to identify every individual city that will experience precipitation or unusually cold conditions. But experts who study climate models all day long can tell a week in advance which areas are likeliest to have rough weather on Halloween.
Where Could Halloween Get Rained Out This Year?
A rainy Halloween is the biggest downer for trick-or-treaters, threatening to melt away face paint and turn creative costumes into a sopping mess. On October 24, National Weather Service meteorologist Brad Pugh told USA Today, “California, eastern Oklahoma and Texas, and the middle to lower Mississippi Valley might have a wet Halloween.”
AccuWeather lead long-range forecaster Paul Pastelok agreed that a southerly flow of air in the central and southern Plains, mixed with an expected cool front, could bring rain to the central and southern Plains. He told USA Today, “There may be a need for umbrellas, raincoats or clear ponchos. A thunderstorm cannot be ruled out as well.”
Pastelok also predicted showers and possible thunderstorms for Dallas and Oklahoma City, and even Miami, noting, “A few showers are possible in the lower Florida Peninsula and breezy conditions.”
Both meteorologists said data shows the East Coast should stay dry for Halloween. The same is true for the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, through it could be pretty windy in Billings, Rapid City and Minneapolis.
Where Will You Need to Bundle Up on Halloween?
Another threat to Halloween costumes is cold and snowy weather. Ever tried to wade through frozen slush in a costume and mask? Definitely not a treat.
There’s no widespread, extreme cold expected for this year’s Halloween weekend. But experts are closely watching a couple of areas in jeopardy of snow, including higher elevations of Colorado, pretty close to Denver, Pastelok said. But they won’t know how likely Denver is to get snow until later in the week.
The Northeast and Great Lakes may not get snow, but the temperatures are threatening to dip pretty low, he said, telling USA Today, “Some families may need to rethink what goes underneath or over their costumes. A little preparation can go a long way, especially for younger children spending an hour or two outdoors.”
As of October 24, the NOAA Climate Prediction Center is not predicting hazardous weather anywhere in the U.S. The greatest risk for adverse conditions, it says, are slight risks for significant wind along the West coast, and a slight risk for heavy snow in Denver.
For specifics on weather for your particular city, the government’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS) says it’s best to wait until five days before the holiday for the most trustworthy local forecast. Data shows that 90 percent of weather forecasts are reliable by that point.
Halloween 2026 Weather Forecast: Which Areas Will Be Cold, Wet, or Even Snowy