For the first time in 39 years, Halloween in San Diego came with something a little more appropriate for a spooky October evening: rain. On October 31, 2026, measurable rainfall finally returned to Halloween, breaking a streak that stretched all the way back to 1987. In a city better known for sunshine, beaches, and seemingly endless blue skies, a rainy Halloween is something of a rarity. Most years, trick-or-treaters can count on comfortable temperatures and dry sidewalks, but this year brought a different atmosphere to America’s Finest City.

The last time San Diego experienced measurable rainfall on Halloween was October 31, 1987, when approximately 0.52 inches fell. This year’s rainfall may not have been dramatic, but it was enough to make history. For perspective, San Diego’s wettest Halloween on record came in 1927, when more than an inch of rain fell. So while 2026 didn’t exactly bring a Halloween washout, it did deliver something the city hadn’t seen in nearly four decades.

There’s something fitting about rain finally making an appearance on Halloween after such a long absence. Between the costumes, jack-o’-lanterns, and neighborhood decorations, the occasional gloomy skies and wet pavement added a different kind of atmosphere to the holiday. San Diego might be famous for its sunshine, but the city got reminded that it rains even in Southern California.