Chicago Halloween forecast favors lighter rain by trick-or-treat time

Chicago’s Halloween forecast offers some encouraging news for families heading outside Saturday: the main stretch of rain is expected to pass before many trick-or-treaters begin their rounds. NBC 5 meteorologist Pete Sack’s forecast calls for mild temperatures and light winds, with lingering drizzle rather than downpours during the afternoon and evening.

Friday should bring relatively little daytime rain, although an isolated shower is possible. High temperatures are forecast to reach the upper 50s to lower 60s. The more widespread rain is expected late Friday night, arriving around midnight and spreading across the area by about 6 a.m. Saturday.

That timing makes Saturday morning the wettest part of the Halloween outlook. Rain is expected to continue through the middle of the morning, with scattered showers still possible until about 1 p.m. Families with early outdoor plans should expect wetter conditions than those heading out later in the day.

The main rain is forecast to leave by roughly 3 p.m., but that does not guarantee a completely dry afternoon. The National Weather Service says occasional sprinkles or drizzle could linger in some locations into the evening. For neighborhood trick-or-treating, an umbrella may still come in handy even as the steadier rainfall diminishes.

Saturday’s temperatures are expected to reach the low 60s, accompanied by light winds. Sack’s outlook does not call for snow or the cold, windy conditions that can complicate Halloween outings. While the forecast is less settled than the mostly dry weather seen during much of October, it remains seasonably mild, if cooler than recent days.

The unsettled pattern is expected to continue beyond Halloween. Sunday should stay in the 60s with a chance of isolated showers, followed by the potential for heavier and more widespread rain early next week. Temperatures are expected to remain mild through that next round of wet weather.