Do You Recall Iowa’s ‘Halloween Ice Storm’ of 1991?

If your kids start complaining about how cold this Halloween is going to be, let them know that at least there isn't a full-blown ice storm.

Halloween 2023 looks like it's going to be a chilly one.

Our weather partners at KCRG confirm that temperatures are set to fall on Friday. Then on Saturday night, they are predicting that showers may mix with a few snowflakes by Saturday night or Sunday.

It was confirmed that snow accumulation from this is highly unlikely.

Officials predict that the cold temperatures are set to stick around at the beginning of the week. On Monday (October 30th) and Tuesday (October 31st) mornings, the temperature will supposedly be floating around in the 20s.

Chilly is one thing...

But at least it isn't as bad as the Halloween storm in 1991, right?

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According to reports, on the morning of October 31st, 1991, a strange weather event headed northeastward through the Mississippi Valley. Described as a low-pressure system by experts, the "Halloween Ice Storm" affected 23 million people in the Midwest.

It became serious enough that the governor of Iowa at the time declared a state of emergency in fifty-two counties.

Snow and freezing rain hit a large part of Eastern Iowa by mid-morning on Halloween. This storm also hit a chunk of southwestern Minnesota at around the same time.

It continued well into the afternoon on November 1st. Many Iowans saw upwards of fifteen inches of snow and approximately two inches of ice on TOP OF THAT!

80,000 homes in Iowa went without power (some for a week after the storm stopped) during the "Halloween Ice Storm" due to incredibly high wind gusts knocking over power lines.

In addition, multiple major highways in Iowa had to be closed due to the damages from the storm.

So, when your child starts whining about having to wear a coat over their costume while they are trick-or-treating, just remind them that a blizzard isn't getting in the way of their plans.

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