Halloween approaches: a look back at spooky stats

By News9 Meteorologist Carrie Rose.

Halloween is little more than a week away, and some folks are already wondering what Trick-or-Treat time could be like.  We are in a more active weather pattern, as evidenced by the potent low pressure system currently moving through the Central Plains.  This makes long-range forecasting difficult, especially when pinning down the timing. 

It does look like another storm system will be moving through the Plains the last week of October, but it is too soon to nail down the timing and impacts, especially for all those trick-or-treaters.  So let us explore the Halloween climatology for Oklahoma City instead!

It has snowed more than once on Halloween, but only ever amounting to a trace.  The last time it snowed on Halloween was in 1991.  The high that day is also the coldest high on record for Halloween at 36 degrees.

The average high is 67 degrees.  The average low is 44 degrees.

The hottest it has ever been on Halloween is 86 degrees, way back in 1938.

The coldest it has ever been on Halloween is a low temperature of 16 degrees in 1993. 

This is a transitional time of year for Oklahoma and the rest of the Plains, so Halloween can range from downright hot to unbearably cold (especially in flimsy Halloween costumes!).  It's still a little too soon to tell whether Oklahoma City's Halloween this year will be a treat or just plain tricky.  I am all stocked up on candy reserves, though, in case the weather provides prime Trick-or-Treat weather!

Other important information:

Friday, October 31, 2008 Sunset:  6:36 p.m.

Moonset is at 8:07 p.m., and it is barely at a sliver of light.  Halloween this year will be dark!