No treat: Halloween expected to be frigid, blustery and wet

It might be better to skip trick-or-treating this year — Halloween Friday is expected to be extremely cold and windy, with a chance of rain or even snow.

The National Weather Service is warning of an approaching storm bringing cold and wet conditions, wind gusts up to 50-55 mph and high temperatures in the upper 30s or low 40s.

The wind chill could even dip into the 20s, the weather service advises, and some of the rain could change to snow showers.

The worst of it will be near Lake Michigan, where thunder is possible and waves could reach up to 23 feet high. The bike path may be impassable in some areas.

A lakeshore flood advisory will be in effect for Cook County, as well as Lake and Porter counties in Indiana from 11 a.m. Friday through early Saturday, the weather service said.

In northwest Indiana, lake effect rain and snow showers are possible, including snow accumulations of 1-2 inches, according to the weather service.

A winter weather advisory for Lake, Porter, Jasper and Newton counties in Indiana will start at 10 a.m. Friday and last until 10 p.m. Drivers could face limited visibliity during that time, and area travel could be hazardous, the weather service said.

Throughout the Chicago area, a wind advisory will be in place from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, the weather service said. Winds, especially near the lake, could be strong enough to take down tree branches and power lines.

According to NWS records, it has snowed five times in Chicago history on Halloween, but there has never been a measurable amount. The last time it snowed on Halloween was 1993, when a trace fell.