GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — With Halloween less than one week away, the forecast is slowly coming into focus for West Michigan.

First, the good news: This year is likely to be significantly better than 2023, which saw its coldest Halloween since 1996 as trick-or-treaters trudged through up to a foot of snow.

Forecast trending toward faster cold front

One of the biggest forecast questions over the past several days has been the timing of a cold frontal passage on Halloween. A morning passage would lead to rain clearing out by evening, along with cooler trick-or-treating temperatures. An afternoon or evening passage would lead to warmer, but rainy conditions.

The morning cold frontal passage currently appears more likely than a late-day timing. That’s expected to lead to early morning rain showers. Cloudy conditions are likely to hang around , with temperatures falling through the day. Trick-or-treating temperatures may drop as low as the low-mid 40s, along with a northwest breeze.

If forecast data begins to shift back toward a later cold front arrival, the chance for trick-or-treating rainfall will increase.

A typical Halloween in West Michigan features highs in the mid-50s, lows in the upper 30s and occasional rain showers.

While the broad details are becoming clearer, there are still elements of the forecast that have yet to be determined. Stay with Storm Team 8 through next week as the forecast comes into clearer focus.