Halloween this year is set to be a scorcher across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with near-record temperatures forecast from Philadelphia to Boston, Bloomberg reports.
After weeks of dry weather, a persistent high-pressure system has locked in a warm, breezy, and bone-dry Halloween. Temperatures are expected to soar into the upper 70s in New York City, potentially breaking records. Boston is also predicted to come “within striking distance” of its record high, with temperatures reaching 79°F at Logan International Airport.
While this might sound like a treat for trick-or-treaters, the dry conditions are also raising concerns about wildfire risk in parts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
While scientists can’t directly link this specific weather pattern to climate change, the overall warming trend is making these record-breaking temperatures more likely. Nationally, fall temperatures have risen an average of 2.5°F since 1970, with nighttime temperatures warming even faster, particularly in the Northeast.
The unseasonable warmth is not just impacting Halloween costume choices. Businesses like apple orchards and pumpkin patches are struggling to adapt to the increasingly volatile weather, said Claudia Schmidt, assistant professor of marketing and local and regional food systems at Penn State. “The unpredictability makes it difficult to plan for production and harvest,” she explained.
Meanwhile, the western US will be experiencing a different Halloween story. Rainy weather is settling in from the Pacific Northwest to Northern California, with a storm system expected to bring heavy rainfall and even snow at higher elevations on Halloween.
