Halloween forecast in Mass. calls for temps near 80

Had to double check the radar – and even poke my head outside – to see if we actually had rain overnight. Sure enough, it was water (and not ash) falling from the sky. While this was just a drop in the bucket, it helped in the short term.

In the blazing heat of summer, this rain would have been a nothingburger. In the late days of autumn, with low sun angle and minimal evaporation, it can be a temporary fix. The permanent fix is obviously a steady day-long rain, but that’s not in the cards anytime soon.

What we do see is summerlike warmth, which can effectively put us in the same camp in terms of drought and fire danger. Compound that with increasing winds through the end of the week, and we grow a little more concerned.

In the near term, the temperatures are on the rise. Some spots may close in on 70 on Wednesday, while others just make it into the upper 60s. Highs reach record levels Thursday, as we leap near 80 in many spots.

Southwest winds will also make for a summery feel to Halloween. What’s even more important is that the warmth lingers into the evening. Expect temps in the 70s for early trick-or-treaters and mid-60s for those older “kids” celebrating until midnight.

We’ll hold in the 70s Friday before the walls come crashing down on Saturday. Highs will only recover to the low 50s with a heavy frost by Sunday morning. Before you know it, we’ll be back to near 70 next week.