Dear Tom,
It seems like we almost always get rain on Halloween. Could you tell me how often this happens?
Joe Kopsick (age 17), Lake Bluff, Ill.
Dear Joe,
As you might suspect, our memories can fool us because they often exaggerate memorable occurrences. That’s especially true when, as children, inclement weather interferes with an anxiously anticipated outdoor activity such as Halloween trick-or-treating.
On average, Chicago receives measurable precipitation (0.01 inch or more) on one day in three, but precipitation is more likely during some portions of the year than others. It won’t surprise you, therefore, that Halloween is one of the year’s wetter days: In 133 years, 50 Halloweens have been wet and 83 dry. But bad luck for you: Within the period of your memories–say the last 12 years–it has rained on six Halloweens.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or asktomwhy@wgntv.com (Mail volume precludes personal response.)
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
