There was no need for fall or winter attire for trick-or-treaters Thursday as it ended up being the warmest Halloween on record. The thermometer hit a high of 79 at 2 p.m., edging out the old record of 78 in 1946, the Attleboro Water Department said. Temps were still running in the 70s and 60s as children visited neighborhoods for goodies. And the highly unusual mild weather for this time of year will continue Friday with highs again forecast for the upper 70s, which could set another record. However, winds are expected to accompany the warmth, which has prompted the National Weather Service in Norton to issue a Red Flag Warning, just as it did last Saturday. Red Flag Warnings are issued when outdoor fire threats are elevated because of dry and windy conditions. There were a few brush fires this past weekend in the Attleboro area but dozens throughout the region — some which continue to burn. Despite a little rain Wednesday morning, the region continues to be experiencing one of the driest spells in decades. There has been no significant rain since mid-September. While Attleboro came within a degree of 80, Taunton actually reached that mark Thursday. “These temperatures are running on average about 20 degrees warmer than normal,” said Samantha Borisoff, a climatologist at the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University. She noted that weather can vary widely in October, a transitional month between seasons. “So every Halloween can be very different,” she said. There was a low of 53 at 5 a.m. Thursday, the water department said. There could be a brief shower Friday morning, forecasts indicate. More seasonable weather is returning for the weekend, with highs only in the 50s and lows in the 30s, meteorologists said. With wire reports Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save STEPHEN PETERSON Author email Follow STEPHEN PETERSON Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don\’t have an account? Sign Up Today