Southern California residents planning their Halloween festivities might want to consider a waterproof layer over their costumes this year. There's a chance of rain arriving just in time for the trick-or-treating circuit, as "News from California, across the nation and world - Los Angeles Times" reported, citing the National Weather Service.
The storm system is expected to begin its approach on Friday, bringing scattered showers to isolated areas. Temperatures across the region are forecast to be noticeably cooler, dropping 5 to 10 degrees below what we typically see this time of year. Maximum temperatures are predicted to settle into the 60s for both coastal communities and inland valleys.
The most significant weather activity is anticipated to ramp up from Saturday evening into Sunday morning. Forecasters with the National Weather Service are currently putting the chance of rain during this peak period at 70%. While the exact rainfall totals are still being refined, meteorologist Ryan Kittell, based with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, indicated that most areas could see between half an inch to an inch of rain.
However, as Kittell told News from California, across the nation and world - Los Angeles Times, there's a roughly 20% chance that the region could receive double that amount, or conversely, a 20% chance of receiving only half of the predicted range. For Los Angeles County, rainfall amounts are generally expected to be uniform, though mountain and foothill communities like La Cañada and Azusa are likely to see totals leaning towards the higher end of that spectrum.
For those planning to be out and about on Halloween itself, there's a bit of nuance in the forecast. The latest projections suggest the heaviest rain will fall between 9 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday. This could be "good news for Halloween activities, at least the later ones," Kittell observed, implying earlier evening plans might be less affected. He advised that people should still prepare for rain on Halloween night, though it appears it will be "more on the lighter side than moderate side" during the earlier hours. It's also worth noting that some forecast models suggest a later arrival for the rain, which means Saturday evening might yet stay dry.
The overall impact of this storm system is expected to be relatively minor. Drivers might encounter increased traffic and some isolated, minor roadway flooding, particularly in low-lying areas. According to Kittell, the most significant disruption would likely be to Halloween activities, given the timing of the potential rainfall.
For a bit of local context, the last time Los Angeles saw measurable rain on Halloween was in 2014. That year, a quarter of an inch of precipitation was recorded in downtown Los Angeles, according to records from the weather service. So, while not an everyday occurrence, it's not entirely unheard of to need a poncho over your pumpkin costume. Residents should keep an eye on updated forecasts as the weekend approaches.
