This Halloween, the forecast is rather frightful. A storm system with an associated cold front will continue moving east on Thursday, bringing wet weather for trick-or-treaters from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast -- even some snow to the Midwest, according to forecasters. The National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center said that above-normal temperatures in the East combined with a mighty cold front are creating a "huge contrast in temperature," setting up the stage for a messy Halloween. The "vigorous dynamics" ahead of the cold front are likely to bring a round of severe thunderstorms across the Appalachians followed by the Mid-Atlantic later in the day, according to the WPC. ❄️😱

Several South Carolina high school students have been disciplined for their roles in a "racially offensive" prank depicting Jim Crow-era water fountains. A photo posted to Facebook on Wednesday shows two water fountains at West Ashley High School in Charleston with signs above them reading "Whites Only" and "Colored Only." The image was shared more than 440 times as of Thursday afternoon, prompting outrage from some. Officials at the Charleston County School District told Fox News in a statement that several students involved were disciplined. "Charleston County School District is aware of an extremely offensive and distasteful prank done by students at West Ashley High School yesterday," district spokesperson Andy Pruitt said. "School administrators took swift action and handled discipline per district protocol."

Smoke from multiple wildfires hung over much of Southern California Thursday, blanketing the region with hazy brown vistas and pungent, ashy air and prompting health warnings from air quality officials. Because of morning Santa Ana wind patterns, some of the highest levels of fine-particle pollution, or wildfire soot, hovered over a coastal area that normally has relatively clean air — the communities that stretch from Santa Monica to Long Beach. That could change later in the day. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory spanning much of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Officials predicted smoke and ash to produce pollution levels that are “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” including children, the elderly and people with preexisting health problems, The LA Times reported.🔥😱

Extremely critical fire weather will continue Thursday in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and particularly in the mountains of Southern California, the National Weather Service said. Red-flag warnings, which expired late Wednesday in Northern California, will remain in effect through Thursday for much of the southern part of the state as strong Santa Ana winds continue. Some population centers under extreme fire danger Thursday include Oxnard, Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and Inglewood, according to the National Weather Service. Among places listed at critical risk are Los Angeles, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Riverside and Chula Vista. Weather conditions will remain clear and windy with below-normal temperatures through the end of the week. 🔥😱