The Scariest Halloween Weather Disasters in U.S. History
You cannot rule out any weather during the tumultuous month of October. This month of transition in the seasons naturally puts Halloween in a prime spot to experience wacky weather. From tropical weather to blizzards, the holiday has seen its own set of scary elements courtesy of Mother Nature. Here are five of the worst weather events to impact the U.S. on Halloween.
Hurricane Sandy - 2012
Nobody on the East Coast will soon forget Hurricane Sandy. While the storm got its start in the tropics, it made the biggest impact when it made landfall as a non-tropical weather event in New Jersey on October 29, 2012. Superstorm Sandy generated impacts on eight countries and 24 U.S. states. The storm was responsible for $70 billion in damages in the U.S., making it one of the most economically devastating storms in American history.
The immense amount of moisture and high winds associated with what was left of Sandy after it tore through the tropics brought life to a halt in New York and New Jersey. Both of these states notched a storm surge of over 13 feet, triggering widespread power outages and flooding. At least 200 deaths in the U.S. were blamed on Sandy.
The storm lingered for days in the Northeast, forcing the cancellation of Halloween festivities. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie did not let kids miss out on Halloween entirely. The governor signed an executive order that officially postponed trick-or-treating events until November 5.
Halloween Nor'easter - 2011
Just one year before Sandy ruined Halloween for much of the East Coast, there was what is now known by many as "Oktoberblast." This nor'easter delivered unusually high amounts of snow for this time of the year across the Northeast. The snow machine fired up on October 29 and lingered for four days. Snowfall amounts of over 30 inches were recorded in many communities. Over 1,000 trees were damaged in New York City's Central Park as a result of the heavy and wet snow.
More than 3.2 million homes and businesses were left without power as the blizzard raged. It took over a week for power to be restored to some areas, disrupting almost all Halloween activities. There were 39 fatalities attributed to this monster nor'easter. The massive amounts of snow stayed on the ground well into November across the higher terrains of northern Virginia through Maine.
Early-season Nor'easter - 2017
Yet another early-season nor'easter wiped out Halloween plans in 2017. The primary disruptor of this storm was the hurricane-force winds that whipped across parts of New York and New England. Top winds of over 90 mph were clocked in the hardest-hit areas. Over 1.3 million lost power at the peak of the storm.
Widespread rainfall of 3 to 6 inches also complicated outdoor Halloween activities. The storm persisted for three days over the holiday.
Halloween Blizzard - 1991
A record-breaking blizzard fired up across the Upper Midwest on Halloween evening in 1991. The storm seemingly came out of nowhere, on the heels of temperatures in the 50s and 60s earlier in the week. A large zone of low pressure in the Gulf of Mexico clashed with a blast of Arctic air coming down from Canada to support the development of heavy snow and gusty conditions.
Duluth, Minnesota, notched a new state record for snow when 39.6 inches fell across the city in the northern part of the Gopher State. Over 20 fatalities were reported in connection with this blizzard.
Texas Halloween Flood - 2013
Not all Halloween weather catastrophes come in the form of snow. One of the worst flooding events to ever strike Austin, Texas, happened on Halloween 2013. This flooding event unfolded when a slow-moving storm system inched over the central part of the Lone Star State, stalling out over Austin. The capital city picked up 13 inches in a period of just 12 hours, killing at least four people and triggering millions of dollars in damage. Due to the extent of the property damage, the storm is now distinguished as one of the largest FEMA home buyout programs in Austin's history.
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