Bundle up; Halloween will be cold – and perhaps snowy – in northern Illinois

It’s Halloween, kids, so be safe. Walk in small groups. Carry a flashlight or wear a glow stick. And wear your winter jackets.

We’d better repeat that last part in case you read too quickly: Trick-or-treaters might need to put on their winter gear before leaving the house for Halloween goodies.

The holiday forecast calls for unseasonable cold with a daytime high of 38 degrees and nighttime temps below freezing (overnight low: 23) as the ghouls and goblins start ringing doorbells. Less certain, but possible, is snowfall that could amount to more than a dusting.

Periods of snow and even some snow squalls are expected earlier Tuesday, the National Weather Service in Chicago said. Snow will develop in the morning, with highest coverage north of Interstate 80, which could lead to some slick travel during the morning commute, especially on elevated surfaces.

Gusty snow showers and squalls are expected to develop midday and into the afternoon that could lead to brief sharp visibility reductions.

Jake Petr, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Romeoville, isn’t sure whether trick-or-treaters will trudge through snow going door-to-door with their goodie bags, but he’s quite sure parents will have to bundle them up.

Petr said the forecast calls for potentially on-and-off snow showers around midday into early afternoon. Gusts up to 30 mph are likely to blow around the snow and limit any accumulation. Conditions likely will improve as evening trick-or-treat hours begin.

“As we get toward sunset, the snow should start to wane,” Petr said. “Temperature wise, it is going to be chilly. We’re forecasting a cold Halloween – maybe among the 10 coldest on record – so anybody out there will want to bundle up, even with the costume.”

So far, no local municipality has called for a postponement of trick-or-treating. In La Salle County, Ottawa Mayor Robert Hasty confirmed the 6 to 8 p.m. time slot is a go. Others were, as of Monday, taking a wait-and-see approach but didn’t necessarily expect a postponement.

La Salle Mayor Jeff Grove moved trick-or-treating four years ago when the Illinois Valley was pasted with record snowfall – 7 inches were reported in some spots – but he wasn’t inclined to do so again. The forecast doesn’t call for a volume that city snowplow drivers can’t handle.

That said, Grove said he was sympathetic to children who were eager to show off their costumes but who may instead have to cover them with winter coats.

Peru Police Chief Sarah Raymond is a mother of two. She’s not excited about getting her twins to buffer themselves from wind chills below freezing.

“I’m going to put as many clothes underneath their costumes and on top of their costumes,” Raymond said. “I have a feeling they’ll only last for a block of two.”

Raymond’s more immediate concern is road conditions. Navigating wintry conditions isn’t fresh in anybody’s mind this time of year, so she’s urging motorists to lay off the gas and be extra vigilant if they take the wheel as trick-or-treat hours approach. She also warned parents against the temptation to follow their children by car.

“I know it’s cold, and I understand the parents’ desire to stay warm and to protect their kids,” she said, “but that does create a hazard for the other children.”

The warning goes double outside the cities. La Salle County Sheriff Adam Diss reminded motorists to “buckle up and be safe,” mindful of the blowing snow that can reduce visibility and produce slick surfaces.

“Even just a light dusting of snow can be dangerous and cause loss of vehicle control,” Diss said.

Halloween snow would create another challenge for farmers who’ve already had their fill of wacky weather.

David Isermann, president of the La Salle County Farm Bureau, said 2023 brought its share of challenges, although the yields have been “pretty good.” That said, recent weeks have been cold and wet and been an impediment to harvest.

“Snow would not be a good thing for us,” Isermann said. “There’s still quite a bit of corn left in La Salle County, and there still are some beans. We would like another bout of dry weather. Even the guys who are done have things in the field they’d like to do.

“We’d like Indian summer to come, too, if that were possible.”