Forecast: Near-record warmth predicted on Halloween

It's been wild temperature ride this week.

Monday started off the week with a chill, and some northeastern Massachusetts communities saw the first snowflakes of the season. But with rising temps on Wednesday, near-record warmth is knocking on the door.

On Halloween, we're going to challenge the record for warmth. Many areas will see temperatures rise into the mid- to upper-70s. The record high to beat in Boston is 81, which was set in 1946. It's not likely we'll break it, though there’s an outside shot we tie it.

The last time Boston saw a Halloween high above 70 degrees was in 2019, when temperatures reached 72. Last year, the high was just 50 degrees. The coldest Halloween on record was in 1904, when temperatures dropped into the 20s.

We even had a trace of snow on Oct. 31 back in 1913, the most snow on the day itself. But we can't forget 2011, where a major snow storm dumped feet of snow on the state on Oct. 29, causing some towns to cancel Halloween festivities.

It will stay warm into the evening for trick-or-treating, as temperatures drop slowly through the lower 70s and into the upper 60s. Aside from the warmth, the breeze will be noticeable, with southwest wind gusts to 20 mph. Bottom line: Extra layers won't be necessary for the kiddos, and you'll see plenty of leaves blowing around in the wind.

A few showers will roll through Thursday night into the first half of Friday, bringing a return to cooler weather.

Highs will be in the 50s for the weekend as a new area of high pressure builds overhead. And as a reminder, daylight saving time ends on Saturday night, so don't forget to set your clocks back one hour!