Trick-or-treaters hit the pavement in Chicago despite snow this Halloween
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Snow on Halloween is not typical, but it's not unheard of either.
In fact, we published a story in 2019 that started with a near-identical sentence.
Throughout the day this Halloween 2023, the Chicago area was repeatedly socked with squalls of snow – alternating with calm and sometimes even some sunshine.
A Winter Weather Advisory was issued for the evening for the Chicago area and Northwest Indiana. The advisory remains in effect for Porter and La Porte counties in Indiana until 5 a.m.
Possible accumulations of 1 to 3 inches were expected in Lake and Cook counties in Illinois, while accumulations of 2 to 4 inches were anticipated in Northwest Indiana.
There was even thundersnow in downtown Chicago Tuesday evening, with lighting believed to have hit the former John Hancock Center.
Slick roads also caused a problem.
But in the North Center neighborhood, the snow on the ground didn't stop the trick-or-treaters. Superheroes, astronauts, and puppies walked through snowy yards and up wet steps to get the goods.
CBS 2's Jermont Terry asked a girl named Jordan Green – who was dressed up as Lisa Simpson – whether she was concerned that she might not get to go trick-or-treating on account of the snow. She most assuredly was not.
"No, because I'm a kid," Jordan said. "I'm a kid, and I don't care, and I'll be doing anything for candy."
"It's a Chicago tradition," added her dad. "Deep-dish pizza, and sleet on Halloween."
Understandably, the kids put on several layers.
And as to trick-or-treaters braving the cold and getting out there for candy's sake anyway, that apparently did not happen everywhere. The mother of an author of this story, who has lived in the same Arcadia Terrace neighborhood house for nearly 40 years, reported getting no trick-or-treaters at all this Halloween for the first time ever.
Snow also socked other nearby cities – including Milwaukee. There were no major troubles on the road, but the lake-effect machine brought quick bursts of snow to the area.
CBS 58 Milwaukee reported the snow totaled 3.3 inches in Milwaukee this Halloween, and 4 inches in West Allis.
In Minneapolis, the roads were a bit tricker. The Minnesota Department of Transportation reported spinouts and crashes across the Twin Cities – which got hit earlier in the day.
Back in Chicago, although snow will come to an end for Cook County and most of northeastern Illinois by 1 a.m., residual slick spots will be possible for the morning commute in Lake, Cook and Will counties.
On this day four years ago, a total of 3.4 inches of snow fell in Chicago – the most ever for a Halloween. Some families trick-or-treated anyway that January-like October day too, but some suburbs rescheduled their official trick-or-treating hours.