HALLOWEEN
HALLOWEEN IS OBSERVED ON OCTOBER 31ST. IT IS THE EVE OF ALL SAINTS DAY, FORMERLY CALLED ALL HALLOWS OR HALLOWMASS. HALLOWEEN IS TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED IN SOME COUNTRIES WITH OLD CUSTOMS SUCH AS BONFIRES, MASQUERADING, AND TELLING OF GHOST STORES‑‑ALL OLD CELTIC PRACTICES THAT MARK THE BEGINNING OF WINTER.
THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED IN BUFFALO ON HALLOWEEN WAS IN 1971 WHEN PARTLY SUNNY SKIES WERE ACCOMPANIED BY A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 73 DEGREES. THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED ON HALLOWEEN WAS A LOW OF 22 DEGREES IN 1975. NORMALLY, THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AVERAGES ABOUT 55 DEGREES WHILE THE LOW AVERAGES 40 DEGREES.
THERE IS ROUGHLY A 52 PERCENT CHANCE OF HAVING PRECIPITATION OF A TRACE OR MORE. IN 1942, RAIN THAT BEGAN DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS DROPPED 0.78 INCHES ON BUFFALO...THE MOST PRECIPITATION EVER RECORDED ON THIS DATE. IT HAS SNOWED ON 12 OF THE PAST HALLOWEEN DAYS WITH THE MOST BEING IN 1917 WHEN HEAVY SNOW BEGAN ABOUT 4PM AND BY MIDNIGHT 6.0 INCHES WERE ON THE GROUND. THE MOIST SNOW CLUNG TO TREES AND OTHER EXPOSED OBJECTS GIVING THEM THE APPEARANCE OF MID‑WINTER.
OTHER SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EVENTS OCCURRED ON HALLOWEEN IN 1874, 1954, AND 1993:
IN 1874, WATERSPOUTS WERE REPORTED ALONG THE DOCKS OF LAKE ERIE AT THIS END OF THE LAKE.
IN 1954, ALTHOUGH ONLY ONE INCH OF SNOW WAS RECORDED AT THE BUFFALO AIRPORT, UP TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW FELL OVER PORTIONS OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
IN 1993, MOTHER NATURE PLAYED A TRICK ON HALLOWEEN TRICK-OR-TREATERS. A MIX OF RAIN AND WET SNOW FELL THROUGHOUT THE DAY. AS THE SUN SET AND THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED, THE SNOW BEGAN TO STICK DURING THE EVENING. A TOTAL OF 2.8 INCHES WAS RECORDED AT THE BUFFALO AIRPORT. THE MOST IN 76 YEARS. HOWEVER, BETWEEN SIX AND TWELVE INCHES FELL OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS SOUTH OF BUFFALO.
HALLOWEEN OCTOBER 31 PERIOD OF RECORD: 122 YEARS (1890‑2011)
TEMPERATURE DATA
HIGHEST 73 DEGREES IN 1971
LOWEST 22 DEGREES IN 1975
LOWEST MAXIMUM 32 DEGREES IN 1906
HIGHEST MINIMUM 60 DEGREES IN 1974
AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE 55.0 DEGREES
AVERAGE LOW TEMPERATURE 40.0 DEGREES
HIGH TEMPERATURE BY 10 DEGREE RANGES
30S 40S 50S 60S 70S
7 28 45 36 6 ‑NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES
6% 23% 37% 30% 5% ‑PROBABILITY OF HIGH TEMP IN THAT RANGE
PRECIPITATION DATA
NUMBER OF TIMES WITH MEASURABLE 48 OCCURRENCES OR 37%
NUMBER OF TIMES WITH A TRACE OR MORE 68 OCCURRENCES OR 53%
NUMBER OF TIMES WITH NO PRECIP 54 OCCURRENCES OR 45%
NUMBER OF TIMES WITH PRECIPITATION OF: 0.01 INCH OR MORE 48
0.50 INCH OR MORE 8
SNOWFALL: NUMBER OF TIMES WITH A TRACE OR MORE 13
NUMBER OF TIMES WITH OVER A TRACE 6
MAXIMUM PRECIPITATION: 0.78 INCHES IN 1942
MAXIMUM SNOWFALL: 6.00 INCHES IN 1917
HALLOWEEN
YEAR HI LO PRECIP REMARKS
1890 44 35 0.01 PARTLY CLOUDY
1891 61 52 0.23 PARTLY CLOUDY
1892 52 43 TR CLOUDY
1893 48 32 TR /TR PARTLY CLOUDY
1894 53 44 0.47 CLOUDY
1895 44 32 0.10 CLOUDY
1896 57 52 0.00 CLEAR
1897 62 44 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1898 43 37 TR CLOUDY
1899 53 44 0.24 CLOUDY
1900 67 54 0.21 PARTLY CLOUDY
1901 69 55 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1902 54 44 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1903 59 53 0.00 CLEAR
1904 47 26 0.00 CLEAR
1905 43 36 0.20 CLOUDY, RAIN FROM MIDNIGHT TILL NOON
1906 32 29 0.07/1.7 CLOUDY, INTERVALS OF SNOW
1907 55 28 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1908 38 33 TR /TR CLOUDY, AFTERNOON FLURRIES
1909 61 52 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1910 55 42 0.00 CLEAR
1911 51 37 0.41 CLOUDY, RAIN THROUGHOUT THE DAY
1912 52 42 0.03 CLOUDY, EVENING AND NIGHTTIME SHOWERS
1913 37 30 0.06/0.4 PARTLY CLOUDY, EARLY MORNING SNOW
1914 57 39 0.00 CLEAR
1915 63 42 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY, BREEZY
1916 69 43 0.44 CLOUDY, EVENING SHOWERS
1917 33 28 0.67/6.0 CLOUDY, HEAVY SNOW
1918 52 44 0.03 CLOUDY, EARLY MORNING, LATE NIGHT SHOWERS
1919 67 58 0.50 CLOUDY, RAIN THROUGHOUT THE DAY
1920 57 51 0.01 CLOUDY, EVENING SHOWER
1921 64 56 0.05 CLOUDY, MORNING SHOWERS
1922 44 33 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1923 36 31 TR /TR CLOUDY, MORNING AND AFTERNOON FLURRIES
1924 62 51 TR PARTLY CLOUDY, EVENING SHOWERS
1925 40 25 0.00 CLEAR
1926 43 36 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1927 71 56 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY, BREEZY
1928 48 39 0.00 CLOUDY
1929 64 49 0.03 CLOUDY, EARLY AFTERNOON SHOWERS
1930 43 25 0.15 CLOUDY, MORNING SHOWERS
1931 50 41 0.01 PARTLY CLOUDY, EARLY MORNING RAIN
HALLOWEEN
YEAR HI LO PRECIP REMARKS
1932 52 34 0.16 CLOUDY, LATE NIGHT SHOWERS
1933 59 50 0.00 INCREASING CLOUDS
1934 48 32 0.13/0.4 RAIN AFTERNOON CHANGING TO SNOW LATE EVENING
1935 65 42 0.00 CLEAR
1936 55 31 TR CLOUDY
1937 47 36 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1938 53 39 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1939 46 40 TR CLOUDY, EARLY AFTERNOON SHOWER
1940 42 38 TR CLOUDY, EARLY MORNING SHOWER
1941 47 43 0.02 CLOUDY, EVENING SHOWERS
1942 65 45 0.78 CLOUDY, RAIN BEGINNING LATE MORNING
1943 56 34 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1944 70 39 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1945 66 35 0.07 PARTLY CLOUDY
1946 56 45 0.21 CLOUDY, MORNING RAIN
1947 52 37 0.01 CLOUDY, SHOWERS TILL NOON
1948 63 36 0.06 CLOUDY, EVENING SHOWERS
1949 56 32 0.27 MOSTLY CLOUDY, BREEZY
1950 72 50 0.00 CLEAR
1951 57 36 TR /TR CLOUDY, WINDY
1952 60 45 0.00 MOSTLY SUNNY
1953 61 42 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1954 44 33 0.13/1.0 PARTLY CLOUDY, EVENING SNOW
1955 48 37 TR MOSTLY CLOUDY, NOONTIME SHOWERS
1956 71 58 0.00 MOSTLY CLOUDY
1957 60 43 TR PARTLY CLOUDY, EARLY MORNING SHOWER
1958 55 46 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1959 52 45 0.61 CLOUDY, RAIN ALL DAY
1960 58 41 0.55 PARTLY CLOUDY, EVENING SHOWERS
1961 54 48 0.00 CLOUDY, BREEZY
1962 48 36 0.10 CLOUDY
1963 56 44 0.00 CLOUDY
1964 53 30 0.00 CLEAR
1965 60 41 0.03 CLOUDY, EARLY AFTERNOON SHOWERS
1966 55 37 TR CLOUDY, EARLY AFTERNOON SHOWER
1967 61 47 TR CLOUDY, EARLY EVENING SHOWER
1968 48 31 0.00 CLEAR
1969 60 37 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1970 57 50 0.42 CLOUDY, RAIN TILL NOON
1971 73 51 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1972 39 28 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1973 53 45 0.27 CLOUDY, LATE NIGHT RAIN
1974 67 60 0.01 CLOUDY, LATE MORNING SHOWERS
HALLOWEEN
YEAR HI LO PRECIP REMARKS
1975 48 22 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1976 43 33 0.65/TR CLOUDY, RAIN MIXING WITH SNOW LATE EVENING
1977 63 37 0.00 CLEAR
1978 59 43 0.00 CLEAR
1979 69 32 0.00 CLEAR
1980 52 45 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1981 64 40 0.00 PARTLY CLOUDY
1982 60 50 0.77 CLOUDY, RAIN EARLY AFTERNOON THRU MIDNIGHT
1983 57 27 0.00 CLEAR, 100% SUNSHINE
1984 57 38 TR VARIABLE CLOUDS, EARLY MORNING SHOWER
1985 63 37 0.00 PARTLY SUNNY
1986 60 29 0.00 SUNNY
1987 55 37 0.00 MOSTLY SUNNY
1988 49 26 0.00 PARTLY SUNNY
1989 72 47 0.47 PARTLY CLOUDY, EVENING RAIN
1990 60 41 0.00 THICKENING CLOUDS
1991 57 39 0.00 SUNNY
1992 42 34 0.00 MOSTLY CLOUDY
1993 37 32 0.48/2.8 MIX OF RAIN AND WET SNOW CHANGING TO ALL SNOW
1994 58 47 0.38 CLOUDY, RAIN BEGINNING EARLY AFTERNOON
1995 43 38 0.10 CLOUDY, RAIN AND DRIZZLE ALL DAY
1996 45 35 0.00 PARTLY SUNNY
1997 64 42 TR MOSTLY CLOUDY
1998 54 29 0.00 SUNNY
1999 62 46 0.01 MORNING SH0WER THEN CLEARING SKIES
2000 53 30 0.00 MOSTLY SUNNY
2001 58 40 TR CLOUDY INTERMITTENT LIGHT RAIN
2002 43 26 0.02 PARTLY CLOUDY, AFTERNOON SHOWER
2003 69 56 0.00 PARTLY SUNNY
2004 57 48 TR CLOUDY
2005 58 44 0.00 MOSTLY CLOUDY
2006 64 44 0.04 MOSTLY CLOUDY
2007 66 43 TR PARTLY SUNNY
2008 67 39 0.0 MOSTLY SUNNY
2009 63 45 0.59 RAIN, FOG
2010 47 34 TR/TR LIGHT RAIN, LIGHT SNOW
2011 54 35 0.01/MM LIGHT RAIN