Michigan Halloween Forecast is Frightening

Halloween is around the corner, and if you're planning to do some trick-or-treating with little ones, you'll want know the Michigan forecast and what to expect. You never know what kind of weather you'll get on Halloween, but now that it's almost here, weather experts have a good idea of the local forecast and what kind of clothing your little ones will have to wear.

Halloween weather across the U.S. obviously varies a lot. "In the United States, the spooky celebration, well known for its weather variations from year to year, sees normal high temperatures ranging from the 40s to the 80s and normal lows ranging from the teens to the 70s across the contiguous states alone," Weather Nation TV notes. They add that, "Many U.S. locations experience drastic temperature swings throughout the month of October."

What else is interesting, and kind of funny, is that no matter the weather, a 2021 YouGov poll discovered that roughly one in five adults, about 21% of participants, have the porch lights off and pretend not to be home on Halloween evening when trick-or-treaters are welking around. I love passing out candy on Halloween, but the past few years have brought pretty bad weather where I live, so I've opted not to do it. I do feel bad for kids who miss out on a real Halloween due to bad weather, whether that's cold conditions, rain or any other kind of bad weather event. Finally, according to the Library of Congress, historians believe that trick-or-treating was originally called "belsnickeling," meaning a German-American Christmas tradition where kids dressed up in costumes and traveled to their neighbors' homes to see if they could guess who they were all dressed up.

As for the Michigan Halloween forecast, it's frightening. What's frustrating is that most of Michigan will see summer-like temperatures and weather on Tuesday, October 29, and Wednesday, October 30. Those days, temperatures will be near 80 degrees in areas such as Detroit, Lansing and Grand Rapids, with sunny or partly cloudy skies. But, wind will come in on Wednesday, and by Thursday, we're looking at a wet and cold Halloween. For the Halloween forecast, showers are expected to roll in during the morning hours throughout much of Michigan, and the good news is that they'll possibly roll out by the evening, but we're looking at "high wind gusts possible," according to The Weather Channel's Halloween forecast, a high in the upper-60s and low around 40. So, expect a cold and possibly very windy Halloween, and maybe just listen to a Halloween playlist.

Nobody likes dealing with severe weather. But, it's part of life. Depending on where you live in the United States, you might come up against hurricanes, tornados, severe thunderstorms, blizzards and more. I've certainly had my fair share of severe weather events. Probably my most vivid memory was being in an ice storm, which knocked power out for about a week where I lived, including during Christmas. It was freezing cold, so my family and I had to go to a hotel that was out of town. Needless to say, our Christmas plans were totally different that year. So, what are some severe weather safety tips that may safe your life?

Before we get to the main tips, let's get through some basics. Stay informed when a severe weather event is approaching. It's simple but important. You don't want to be caught off guard when bad weather strikes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Weather Service both have information that they provide leading up to and during a severe weather event. So, make sure to get the latest information in the case of any weather emergency. Local meteorologists also have good information, but the main alerts come from the National Weather Service.

Another mistake some people make is not taking "watches" seriously. For example, you might see that there's a severe thunderstorm watch in your area and think, oh, it's just a watch, I can go out for a walk. Don't do it. "A watch is used when the risk of a hazardous weather or hydrologic event has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location or timing is still uncertain," the National Weather Service explains. We'll get more into the specifics of a watch, warning and advisory later in this story.

Let's get into some severe weather safety tips that may safe your life.

A weather advisory, watch and warning all need to be taken seriously. So, what do they mean? According to the National Weather Service, "a warning is issued when a hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, imminent or likely." A watch is where "the risk of a hazardous weather or hydrologic event has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location or timing is still uncertain." Finally, an advisory means, "hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, imminent or likely."

During a severe thunderstorm, and any severe weather event, the best thing to do is stay inside and sheltered. "The best defense against thunderstorms is to stay inside a sturdy building or shelter that can protect you from deadly lightning, large hail, damaging winds, flooding rain and tornadoes," the National Weather Service says. Also, you don't want to risk getting hit by lightning, like in the image below.

During a tornado, get underground if possible. If you don't have a basement, get to the lowest floor possible. Also, during a tornado, watch for flying and falling debris. The National Weather Service advises to "use pillows, blankets, coats, helmets, etc. to cover up and protect your head and body from flying debris."

Be prepared. Have a good emergency kit, both in your house and your car. For the car, "An emergency kit should include booster cables, shovel, tow rope, sand or cat litter, and a flashlight with extra batteries," the National Weather Service says. "Do not forget a first aid kit, non-perishable food, and blankets or sleeping bags."

This one my mom and dad always tell me to do. And, they're right. "Keep your gas tank near full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel line," the National Weather Service advises.

Heat can make for a severe weather event, too. So, dress appropriately when it gets really hot. "Lightweight, light-colored clothing reflects heat and sunlight, and helps your body maintain normal temperatures," the National Weather Service says. They add to guzzle lots of "water or non-alcoholic fluids."

Sometimes, you just have to leave ahead of the storm to be safe. In the case of a hurricane, the National Weather Service says to "leave immediately if ordered." They also say that if you are allowed to stay, to "take refuge in a small interior room, closet or hallway on the lowest level during the storm. Put as many walls between you and the outside as you can," and "stay away from windows, skylights and glass doors."