Halloween forecast and tips to safe trick or treating
Here's what to expect on Halloween and how to make the spooky night a safe one.
The Halloween weather is likely to disappoint millions of trick-or-treaters.
We're now just hours away from Halloween and unfortunately, for millions of Canadians, Mother Nature does NOT look to cooperate with any outdoor plans. There's an obvious winner for the most favourable trick-or-treat conditions, but for the majority of the country expect a spooky combination of rain, wind and snow.
BRITISH COLUMBIA: WINNER, WINNER!
You can thank a Pacific ridge of high pressure for the unusually dry stretch of weather that will time perfectly for trick-or-treaters Thursday evening. Mainly dry conditions with variable cloud cover is forecast for the majority of the province, but extra layers will be needed under the costumes as temperatures are forecast to remain below seasonal. Evening temperatures are forecast to be in the single digits for the South Coast and interior valleys like the Okanagan.
PRAIRIES: LESS FRIGHTFULLY FRIGID, BUT LAYERS STILL NEEDED
After a frigid start to the week, Halloween will be a welcomed treat for trick-or-treaters as a slight bump in temperatures is forecast for Thursday. While temperatures will still be hovering near the freezing mark, conditions will not be as frigid as the minus single digits experienced Monday and Tuesday. Expect some passing flurries through the evening as a cold front slides across the region Thursday and Friday.
ONTARIO: SECURE THE DECOR, WICKED WINDS ON ROUTE
The forecast will be no treat for many trick-or-treaters in Ontario as a classic fall storm is expected to barrel in on Thursday. Accumulating snow, drenching rain and powerful winds are all on the table, making a mess of travel both on the roads and by foot. A swath of snow is forecast for regions within the Nickelbelt and north including Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Timmins and North Bay. Across the south, periods of moderate to heavy rain are forecast for much of Halloween day into the evening so a last minute waterproof adjust to the kid’s costume is highly recommended! While far eastern Ontario may squeeze out a couple double digit temperatures for Halloween, widespread single digits are expected by the evening, so layers are a must. It’s also important to note that winds will steadily increase through Thursday night and into Friday morning so you may want to think about taking down your decorations if you don’t want to lose them to the wicked winds.
QUEBEC: MUCH MORE TRICK THAN TREAT
Temperatures will be your treat as milder air is forecast to surge north leaving the majority in the Eastern Townships and places along the St. Lawrence with temperatures in the mid double digits during prime trick-or-treating hours. However, with the milder air comes widespread rain as a boundary is forecast to be draped across much of the province. As temperatures cool across northern regions, mixing, snow or even some freezing rain may impact your Halloween plan, so it’s important to dress accordingly.
DICEY TRAVEL WITH 20+ CM OF SNOW IN NORTHERN QUEBEC
ATLANTIC CANADA: TIME TO WATERPROOF YOUR COSTUME
It looks like 90 percent of Atlantic Canada will need a waterproof costume this year for Halloween as a slow moving boundary will bring periods of light to moderate rain through the trick-or-treating hours. The lucky little ghouls and goblins of St. John’s and the Avalon in Newfoundland look to escape rain-free for Halloween ahead of the soaking rains. Even though conditions will be soggy, forecast temperatures will be pleasantly mild with temperatures forecast in the mid-teens for much of the Maritimes and double digits across Newfoundland.
WATCH: SURE-FIRE WAYS TO WEATHERPROOF YOUR KIDS FOR HALLOWEEN
EIGHT TIPS TO SAFE TRICK OR TREATING
For many Canadians, the costume prep, pumpkin carving and stocking up on treats began weeks ago. But whenever and however you get ready for Halloween, be prepared for a parade of eager kids big and small to fill neighbourhood streets on October 31.
Each year brings a new batch of trick-or-treaters and with that comes an annual reminder of some common sense practices and new ways to celebrate the 'holiday.'
Here are eight tips to keep kids safe and having fun:
1: COSTUME CHOICE
Thanks to movies like Avengers: Endgame and Black Panther, you can expect an onslaught of superheroes as this year’s top costumes.
Make sure masks don’t restrict vision, capes and dresses aren’t dragging on the ground, and extras like swords and sabres are made of soft, flexible material. And as always, don’t forget to prepare for the weather – add layers, wear warm and dry footwear and pack a hat and mitts in the bottom of the treat bag just in case.
2: BE VISIBLE
Try to choose bright or light-coloured costumes or consider adding strips of reflective tape to costumes and bags. Glow sticks, mini-flashlights or bike lights can be easily hooked onto loops, zippers and treat bags.
Image courtesy: Creative Commons.
3. BE STREET SMART
Remind kids to stick to the sidewalk, stay on one side of the street at a time and avoid crossing mid-block. Motorists – slow down. It’s fun to start trick-or-treating early, but remember that twilight is one of the hardest times for drivers to see clearly.
4. GO AS A GROUP
Send an adult with a flashlight to accompany younger kids and have older kids travel in groups. Set specific neighbourhood boundaries and as a general rule, advise trick-or-treaters to turn down all invitations to enter homes.
5. KEEP YOUR HOME SAFE
For households handing out treats, make sure porch lights are on and walkways are clear of decorations and clutter. Consider using LED lights, flashlights or glow sticks instead of candles in jack-o-lanterns.
Image: Barry Burgess, Annapolis County, N.S.
6. CHECK TREATS BEFORE EATING
Remind kids to save their treats and goodies for home where an adult can check them. Toss candy if the package looks previously opened or wrappers have holes. Or, skip candy altogether and join the wave of parents planning to give out these alternatives to sweet treats on Halloween.
7. PLAN A SMALL PARTY
As a trick-or-treating alternative, some parents have organized neighbourhood celebrations in a park, parking lot or community centre. A smaller controlled environment may help ease concerns about where treats come from and ingredients like sugar, gluten and nuts. You can even downplay the candy by focusing the evening on themed games and (not too scary) movies with friends.
8. STOCK UP ON BATTERIES
Don’t forget the batteries. Stock up on batteries to use for flashlights and Halloween decorations. Surprising all of your unsuspecting haunted house guests and little ghosts with battery operated Halloween decorations and props is a must - and remember to double-check what type of battery each uses to avoid having the wrong fit at the last moment.
Halloween safety tips provided by Renee Tratch
