Josh Classen's forecast: Coolest Halloween in over a decade

An aerial image of downtown Edmonton from the south side of the North Saskatchewan River on Oct. 22, 2024. (Cam Wiebe / CTV News Edmonton)

It's shaping up to be a slightly cooler-than-average Halloween in Edmonton. But, it could end up being the chilliest Halloween in over a decade.

Temperatures will get to 3 or 4 C for an afternoon high and the 30-year average high is 5.2 C.

In the past decade, almost every Oct. 31 has been warmer than that long-term average.

In fact, the 10-year average high for Oct. 31 is 6.4 C and the last time Edmonton had an afternoon high below 5 C on Oct. 31 was in 2017.

Daytime highs for Oct 31

• 2023: 7 C
• 2022: 8 C
• 2021: 6 C
• 2020: 6 C
• 2019: 5 C
• 2018: 8 C
• 2017: 4 C
• 2016: 5 C
• 2015: 10 C
• 2014: 5 C

You have to go all the way back to 2012 to find the last time Halloween had a daytime high below 0 C.

It was -7 C on Oct. 31, 2012.

Earlier this week, it was looking like we might be closer to 0 C for an afternoon high, but the cooldown doesn't look like it'll be THAT dramatic.

We were at 8 C on Wednesday afternoon and only slipped a few degrees below 0 C this morning.

So, even though we won't get a whole lot of sun today...I think we should get to 3 or 4 C later today.

Early-evening temperatures will hover around the freezing mark.

Friday and Saturday should be slightly cooler. It think we'll be in the 1 or 2 C range for afternoon highs with morning lows in the -5 to -10 C range.

AND...I'm adding in a slight chance of some flurries or light snow for late in the day Saturday.

There's a low-pressure system that'll push across southern Alberta and some light snow is expected to develop on the northern edge of that system.

I think it's unlikely that we'll see any accumulating snow, but a few flurries are possible.

Areas closer to Slave Lake have a much better chance at seeing some light snow late Saturday and then the Cold Lake/Lac La Biche regions could get some snow on Sunday.

We should get back to the 5 or 6 C range for Sunday/Monday in Edmonton and then next week continues to trend warmer.

Daytime highs will likely be in the 7 to 11 C range for Wednesda-Friday of next week.

 

Here's the forecast for Edmonton and area:

Today - Mostly cloudy this morning. Mix of sun & cloud this afternoon.

High: 3

 

Tonight - Cloudy periods.

9pm: -2

 

Friday - Partly cloudy in the morning. Sunny in the afternoon.

Morning Low: -7

Afternoon High: 2

 

Saturday - Mostly cloudy. 30% chance of late-day flurries.

Morning Low: -8

Afternoon High: 1

 

Sunday - Partly cloudy.

Morning Low: -4

Afternoon High: 5

 

Monday - Partly cloudy.

Morning Low: -3

Afternoon High: 6

 

Tuesday - Mostly cloudy.

Morning Low: -2

Afternoon High: 4