WeatherFanatics: Massive Halloween Storm: Texas to Midwest, Northeast

Monday, October 28, 2013

Massive Halloween Storm: Texas to Midwest, Northeast

By Andy Mussoline, Meteorologist

October 28,2013; 6:39PM,EDT

A massive Halloween storm will unleash torrential rain, heavy thunderstorms and howling winds in a corridor from Texas to the Midwest and Northeast. The storm may force travelers and trick-or-treaters to delay or cancel their plans.
Heavy Thunderstorms and Flooding
Gusty, slow-moving thunderstorms will threaten areas from St. Louis to Memphis, Tenn., to Little Rock, Ark., and Houston late Thursday morning and into the afternoon. Locally damaging winds could bring down trees and power lines, and isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out.
Upon encountering downed power lines, do not go near them or attempt to lift any downed tree limbs from them. Instead, think of all power lines as live and dangerous.
By Thursday night, any gusty thunderstorms should be in a corridor from Atlanta to Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans.

Flash flooding will accompany the damaging wind threat in the same regions. Thursday's thunderstorms will be slow-moving and capable of unleashing several inches of rain in just a few hours. This rate of rainfall can turning low-lying areas into lakes and streams into raging rivers.
Residents in areas susceptible to flooding should get preparations ready for Thursday. Travelers to a Halloween party or a nearby neighborhood for trick-or-treating should be on the lookout for water-covered roadways. Never cross water-covered roadways and find another route.
Halloween Soaker
The massive storm will bring periods of rain across parts of the Upper Midwest to the Ohio Valley and Northeast for much of Halloween. Unlike farther south, this rain will largely just dampen spirits for those celebrating the holiday.

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Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Burlington, Vt., will be among a host of other cities that will get the rain on Thursday. While thunderstorms cannot be ruled out, there will not be a widespread severe threat.
Howling Winds
Widespread gusty, southerly winds will howl along the Gulf Coast from Texas to the Florida Panhandle; similar winds will extend north into the Great Lakes as well. While most of the winds will not be damaging, the combination of a soaked ground and lingering leaves on trees could cause trees to topple.

Farther west, dry air will funnel into the Plains on howling winds west of the storm. The strongest winds will gust up to 60 mph in southeastern Wyoming and can threaten travelers on Interstate 80 from Cheyenne to Rawlins, Wyo.
Lack of Snow
Late-October storms of this size often bring snow to the northern parts of the country. However, the lack of cold air with this storm will prevent any mentionable snow east of the Rockies.