Halloween is celebrated in the United States on October 31st. Below are some weather statistics for La Crosse, WI, and Rochester, MN for this day. "October 31st marks the date of an astronomical “cross-quarter” day, which under traditional agricultural calendar systems marks the mid-point of an astronomical season. These days figured prominently in many cultures, especially those in northern Europe, where the seasonal markers and cross-quarters were widely celebrated with feasts and general merrymaking. Today everyone recognizes the 31st as Halloween, but few understand its significance in ancient cultures. To the Celts it represented the beginning of the long nights of winter, and with those came dark connotations of death and suffering. Their observance of Samhain was eventually Christianized into All Saints Day, preceded by All Hallows Eve, a time to remember the souls of those who died during the previous year. If you see ghosts and goblins prowling your neighborhood that evening, you better give them treats!" (Source: US Naval Observatory) |
La Crosse, WI:
The following statistics comprise 151 years of data. From 1872 through 1950, the data came from various locations in downtown La Crosse. Since 1950, the data has been gathered at La Crosse Regional Airport. Due to the NWS office being closed down in the Autumn of 1985, no observations were taken during that year.
Halloween in La Crosse, WI (Period of Record 1872-2023) |
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1991-2020 Normals |
Records
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Maximum Temperature | 54°F | Warmest High Temperature | 79°F | 1950 1933 |
Coldest High Temperature | 31°F | 1873 | ||
Minimum Temperature | 36°F | Warmest Low Temperature | 58°F | 1950 |
Coldest Low Temperature | 18°F | 1917 1873 |
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Average Temperature | 45°F | Warmest Average Temperature | 68.5°F | 1950 |
Coldest Average Temperature | 24.5°F | 1873 | ||
Precipitation | 0.07" | Wettest | 2.04" | 1984 |
Snow | 0" | Snowiest | 2.4" | 1926 |
Snow depth at 7 AM | 0" | Greatest Snow Depth at 7 AM | 2" | 1917 |
The odds of having any precipitation at all on Halloween is 43.7% (66 out of 151). There has been measurable (0.01" or greater) precipitation on 44 Halloweens (29.1%) and trace amounts (less than 0.01") on 22 Halloweens (14.6%).
Since 1897, it has snowed on 14 of 124 Halloweens (11.3%). The only Halloweens with measurable snowfall were in 1926 (2.4"), 1995 (0.5"), and 2023 (1.1").
Last Halloween (2023), the high temperature was 37°F and the low temperature was 25°F. The average temperature was 31°F. 0.07" of precipitation fell and 1.1" of snow fell. This was the first measurable snowfall on Halloween since 1995 and the second-highest snowfall on Halloween. Only 1926 had more with 2.4". The average wind speed was 12.5 mph.
Rochester, MN:
The following statistics comprise 111 years of data. From 1886 through 1931, the data came from several cooperative observers in the Rochester area. Since 1932, the data has been gathered at Rochester International Airport. No data was taken on Halloween from 1889 to 1891, in 1908, from 1921 to 1927, and in 1933.
Halloween in Rochester, MN (Period of Record 1886-2023 |
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1991-2020 Normals |
Records
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Maximum Temperature | 50°F | Warmest High Temperature | 78°F | 1950 |
Coldest High Temperature | 30°F | 1996 1917 |
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Minimum Temperature | 32°F | Warmest Low Temperature | 54°F | 1974 |
Coldest Low Temperature | 15°F | 1993 | ||
Average Temperature | 41°F | Warmest Average Temperature | 65.0°F | 1950 |
Coldest Average Temperature | 23.0°F | 1996 | ||
Precipitation | 0.06" | Wettest | 1.31" | 1935 |
Snow | 0.1" | Snowiest | 3.5" | 1929 |
Snow Depth at 7 AM | 0" | Greatest Snow Depth at 7 AM | 4" | 1929 |
The odds of having any precipitation at all on Halloween is 40.5% (45 out of 111). There has been measurable (0.01" or greater) precipitation on 34 Halloweens (30.6%) and trace amounts (less than 0.01") on 11 Halloweens (9.9%).
Since 1928, it has snowed on 17 out of 99 Halloweens (17.2%). Measurable snow has fallen on 9 Halloweens (1929 - 3.5", 1932 -1.5", 1954 - 0.6", 1966 - 0.1", 1970 - 0.1", 1989 - 0.4", 1991 - 0.4", 1995 - 1.7", and 2023 -1.1").
Last Halloween (2023), the high temperature was 34°F and the low temperature was 21°F. The average temperature was 28°F. 0.07" of precipitation fell and 1.1" of snow fell. This was the first measurable snowfall on Halloween since 1995 (1.7"). The average wind speed was 18.2 mph.
The following weather events have occurred on Halloween in southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa, and western Wisconsin:
During the evening of November 1st, arctic air moved into the region, changing the precipitation to all snow. The snow continued until midday on November 2nd. 6 to 10" fell across Winona and Houston counties in southeast Minnesota, and La Crosse County in southwest Wisconsin. Meanwhile, 3 to 6" of snow fell across the remainder of southeast Minnesota, portions of western Wisconsin, and a small portion of northeast Iowa. These amounts are small in comparison to the snowfall from Red Wing, MN northward to the Duluth, MN area. This winter storm dropped 28.4" of snow on the Twin Cities (single storm record for the metropolitan record) while Duluth received 36.9" of snow (the largest single storm total in MN history).
Wind speeds of 30 to 50 mph and gusts to 60 mph on November 1st and 2nd created blizzard conditions across eastern South Dakota, Minnesota, western Iowa, and extreme western Wisconsin. This storm closed schools, businesses, bridges, and public transportation systems for several days. Clean-up was hindered by numerous accidents and abandoned vehicles.
At least 20 people died in Minnesota due to traffic accidents or heart attacks from digging out after the storm. In addition, two Wisconsin hunters died when their boat capsized in Lake Onalaska during the storm.