Hold on to your witch hats, it’s going to be very windy during prime trick-or-treating time Thursday night across our area.
While the heavy rain will be tapering off by 4 p.m., gusts will be picking up. Expect gusts up to 50 mph in most of the area, with gusts up to 60 mph possible along the lakeshore. The wind will hit hardest right as many kids will be out on the streets – starting at 7 p.m. Thursday evening until about 2 a.m. Friday.
That means trick-or-treaters and parents should be on alert for wayward Halloween decorations, light loose objects, downed tree branches, downed power lines, and the possibility of power outages.
RELATED: High Wind Warning issued for parts of Northeast Ohio on Halloween through Friday
A High Wind Warning is expected to go into effect for Erie, Lorain, and Cuyahoga counties at 5 p.m. and last until 6 a.m. Friday morning. A High Wind Warning is in effect for Lake and Ashtabula Lakeshore counties from 8 p.m. until Noon Friday. In these areas, sustained winds of 35 to 45 mph with wind gusts up to 60 mph will be possible Thursday night.
While some communities have canceled or postponed their official trick-or-treat times – see our list here – there is some confusion being caused by a 2012 article on delays being spread on social media.
We’ll keep our full list of trick-or-treat times in our area updated throughout the day, should any other communities decide to change their trick-or-treat dates due to inclement weather.
We also have a list of businesses and groups that are offering indoor trick-or-treating alternatives.
In addition to the wind, temperatures will be dropping quickly this evening. The coldest air of the season (so far) arrives tonight, with temperatures dropping into the 30s. The remaining moisture may cause a few wet flakes of snow early Friday morning, but the Power of 5 Weather Team doesn’t expect enough to cause widespread issues on the roads. Just the same, take caution on bridges and overpasses on the commute Friday morning.
