If your Halloween costume doesn’t include a raincoat, you may want to rethink it—a powerful nor’easter is heading straight for New York City, and it’s bringing heavy rain, gusty winds, cooler temperatures, and possible flooding that may impact trick-or-treating plans and outdoor Halloween festivities.
The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for NYC, and the forecast is bleak.
The weather station is tracking a storm that’s expected to impact NYC Thursday into Thursday night. Residents are warned to brace for 1 to 2 inches of rainfall–with locally higher amounts possible–and gusty winds measuring 30 to 40 mph on Thursday and possibly reaching near 50 mph on Friday.
That means parades, outdoor parties, and trick-or-treating events could be in for a soaking. AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok stated:
A lot of parades, outdoor parties, and trick-or-treating events could get soaked this week…Rain will push into the Northeast on Wednesday night into Thursday. Showers are likely across New England on Thursday night…The Halloween forecast is a treat for much of the West Coast, but a trick in the East.
Minor flooding is also possible in poor drainage areas Thursday afternoon and evening—so prepare for some slippery subway stairs and puddle-hopping across the city.
The good news? The storm should start to move out just in time for you to go door to door collecting candy or show off your costume at the Village Halloween Parade.
Friday is expected to be the warmest it’s been all week, with temperatures around 57°F (though RealFeel will be closer to 49°F). Still, breezy conditions could make for a blustery night of trick-or-treating, so hold on to your candy bags and beware of rogue inflatable decorations that could be blown through the sky.
Pastelok added that while “conditions should be drying out from southern New England to the mid-Atlantic Friday evening, it may be a breezy night of trick-or-treating in some spots.”
So, as you plan your Halloween costumes maybe swap that witch’s cape for a poncho and keep an umbrella handy just in case a few lingering showers pass by–it’s shaping up to be a spooky, stormy Halloween.
👻 Oh, and if you’re still looking for a costume, Party City has risen from the dead with a limited-time Halloween pop-up over in Union Square!