Halloween weather forecast: Will it rain for trick-or-treat?

You've got the candy, costumes and decorations all ready. Now will the weather cooperate for your Halloween celebrations?

The nation's two soggiest spots on Halloween ? Thursday ? will be in portions of the central U.S. and the much of the Northwest.

And though near-record warmth will make news in some areas, what will be missing is widespread cold, forecasters said: "This year, there are no major concerns as far as snow, ice or cold across much of the country," AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok said in an online forecast.

Here's how the weather will affect the goblins, ghosts and ghouls in your neighborhood on Halloween evening:

Central US forecast: Rain, wind, tornadoes

A cold front will sweep across the central U.S. on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing the chance of rain from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi Valley on Halloween, said Weather.com meteorologist Caitlin Kaiser in an online forecast.

Pastelok added that "thunderstorms can occur from Houston northward to Little Rock and Memphis, Tennessee," noting that multiple showers and thunderstorms in this region may warrant bringing an umbrella for trick-or-treating or even taking shelter indoors.

Farther north, he said rain may dampen festivities in parts of the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region, including in Detroit and Cleveland.

According to the Storm Prediction Center, the hazards associated with the thunderstorms on Halloween are "frequent lightning, severe thunderstorm wind gusts, hail, and a few tornadoes." Cities where severe storms are most likely include Indianapolis, Memphis, and Little Rock.

Record warmth for East Coast?

While portions of the central U.S. dodge raindrops, the main weather story for folks along the Eastern Seaboard will be the unusual, potential record-breaking warmth. How warm? High temperatures Thursday are expected to range from the 70s in New England to near 80 degrees across much of the Mid-Atlantic, AccuWeather predicts.

According to Kaiser, "H?igh temperatures could top Halloween records in dozens of Northeast cities, including Albany, New York; Hartford, Connecticut; and Philadelphia."

The Southeast will see above-average warmth as well: "People may need to bring fans with them in Raleigh and Charlotte as temperatures will start in the 80s for trick-or-treating and fall back into the 70s," Pastelok said.

Northwest forecast: Dreary, snowy

The dreariest, chilliest spot on Halloween night is likely to be the Pacific Northwest, where rain or even high-elevation snow is possible.

AccuWeather said rain and cool temperatures from a sweeping cold front could produce a double whammy in Seattle and Portland, forcing some costumes under jackets.

Snow is even possible in the mountains: "The higher elevations in the Northwest, above 2,000 feet, can experience some tricks from Mother Nature with wintry conditions," Pastelok said.

In the Southwest, AccuWeather says there will be no weather-related concerns as kids and adults fill the neighborhood streets.

(This story has been updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Halloween 2024 weather forecast for: Will it rain for trick-or-treat?