By Christie Oneill
Staff Writer
This Halloween, residents of Presque Isle, Maine, and the surrounding areas might need to grab their umbrellas and boots! As of Wednesday, October 29th, 2025, at noon, the Weather Network is predicting rain on Halloween in the morning and afternoon, followed by cloudy skies and additional rain in the evening.
For many who grew up in northern Maine and western New Brunswick, Halloween often meant shoving a spooky costume over a thick snowsuit.
“We’d actually plan it. We’d do things like if you were a robot, you’d make the robot big so that you could wear your snowsuit underneath,” stated Paul Johnson, professor at the University of Presque Isle, Maine (UMPI).
This year’s rain may feel like a welcome break from freezing temperatures, but it also reflects a larger shift in the region’s climate.
In the past, Maine has experienced warmer average temperatures and changes in precipitation, according to the Maine Climate Council. Fall snowstorms that were once common in northern parts of the state are now arriving later, replaced by periods of rain and unseasonably mild weather.
Farmers across the region have noticed these changes as well, observing warmer summers, unpredictable rainfall, and shifts in harvest timing that challenge long-standing agricultural practices.
Though a rainy Halloween might be disappointing for trick-or-treaters, it illustrates the region’s evolving climate. Experts nationwide emphasize that reducing greenhouse gas emissions, recycling, and being ecologically cautious are small but meaningful steps toward addressing what climate activist Greta Thunberg calls an ecological and climate crisis.
Families gearing up for Halloween night might not face a few raindrops. They also could witness the local effects of a global issue that continues to shape and transform experiences in our communities.
In the end, rain on Halloween could dampen the fun or create a depressing vibe, but not this year! Let’s flip the script this Halloween and embrace the wet weather of Mother Nature. You still have time to make your costumes or the kid’s costumes waterproof by adding an umbrella, rubber boots or a rain jacket!
