ALBANY – Trick-or-treaters shouldn’t dress too warmly Thursday as a new record will likely be set in the Albany area for the warmest Halloween since statistics have been kept.

Highs are forecast to reach 79 degrees, with temperatures still in the 70s after the sun sets.

The temperature surpasses the last record high in Albany on Oct. 31, which happened in 2019 at 75 degrees — making this year the “warmest Halloween in 150 years,” said Joe Villani, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Villani said that although the record was set not too long ago, the warm weather of Halloween five years ago was accompanied by rain and humidity. However, this year’s Halloween will see those high temperatures without rain.

He said temperatures will be in the mid-70s when trick-or-treaters first take to the streets, later cooling into the 60s as the night progresses. There is a chance of rain Thursday night, but precipitation likely won’t start until after midnight.

Since September, the region has experienced dry weather with less humidity and rain.

Villani said Albany normally sees a rainfall of 12 inches during the fall, but since early September there has been a rainfall deficit of 12.5 inches.

And it’s not just the Capital Region that’s seeing a warm fall season, but the rest of the Northeast as well.

Villani said an unusually strong area of ​​high pressure along the northeastern coast is resulting in higher temperatures in the region.

But temperatures are expected to cool this Friday, Villani said.