The recent windy weather has been theatrical, reminiscent of cyclones leading to Oz or spooky witches on broomsticks. 

But theater met real-life Friday when residents reported seeing skeletons flying down the street in the Rancho Mirage neighborhood. 

Or at least that’s the news Rancho Mirage residents Nico and Christopher Villalpando learned when they received a concerned call from a neighbor. Their decorations were uplifted from their house and rattling down the street after a night of heavy winds. 

The Villalpandos regularly decorate for the Halloween season with spooky decorations, including a pumpkin patch in their side yard for the neighborhood kids, but the windy season had them and other Maricopa residents ready to pack up their Halloween decorations. 

“There was just a point where we thought we might have to take it all down. We were just concerned we’d have pieces of the display flying all over,” Villalpando said. 

Last Friday’s windy weather was not monsoon-related, instead driven by strong differences in pressure from east to west. Unlike monsoon winds, which are produced by thunderstorms, other types of windy weather happen when the atmosphere is moving air from areas of higher pressure to lower pressure. 

But if this fall’s windy season hasn’t already made you pre-emptively take down your Halloween decorations, perhaps this week’s rain forecast might. 

A flood watch is in effect starting 2 p.m. today and lasting through 5 p.m. Thursday. Expect increasing chances of showers throughout the week, peaking with up to 60% chance of showers tonight and tapering off Thursday night. 

“It’s an early fall type of event. It is a transition season which means it’s a bit of a rollercoaster,” said National Weather Service meteorologist David Trampp.  

At least temperatures are typical for this time of year. Highs are expected to be in the low 90s, cooling off tonight into low 70s. 

But even with the flood watch and if winds do return this season, the Villalpandos have decided to keep the décor intact after adding a little extra anchoring and sandbags. 

“We can’t let these winds or rain win,” Villalpando said.