Rain and light winds are forecast to impact the annual Thanksgiving parade in New York City.
NEW YORK — An East Coast storm system is forecast to impact the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Despite a forecast for rain and light winds, parade organizers say the parade will happen rain or shine.
Parade weather forecast
When the 98th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade starts at 8:30 a.m. in New York City, it is expected to be raining. Luckily winds are not forecast to exceed 10 mph.
The temperature is forecast to be 47 degrees. When combined with the wind, the wind chill could make it feel more like 43 degrees.
Throughout the day on Thursday, steady rains could lead New York City to see nearly an inch of rain.
History of parade weather rules
Since 1998, city rules have prohibited the iconic balloons from taking flight if there are sustained winds exceeding 23 mph or wind gusts exceeding 34 mph. The rules were enacted after a 1997 accident when high winds blew the Cat in the Hat balloon into a lamppost, which fell and critically injured a woman.
Two people were injured in 2005 when a balloon again smacked into a lamppost. And a wind gust caused a balloon in 2017 to bring down a tree branch. Luckily no one was injured in the latter incident.
The weather has only ever grounded the ballons once. That was in 1971.
Thanksgiving Day parade lineup
This year’s parade will feature 17 giant character balloons, 22 floats, 15 novelty and heritage inflatables, 11 marching bands, 700 clowns and 10 performance groups.
A eclectic group of stars — including reality TV’s Ariana Madix, Broadway belter Idina Menzel, hip-hop’s T-Pain, members of the WNBA champions New York Liberty and country duo Dan + Shay — will feature in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Music performers The War and Treaty, Lea Salonga, Kylie Cantrall, The Temptations, Chlöe, Charli D’Amelio, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Coco Jones, Walker Hayes, Rachel Platten, Bishop Briggs, Joey McIntyre, Natti Natasha and ballet dancers Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia, are also slated to perform.
How to watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The holiday tradition will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 28. It will be seen live on NBC in all time zones. The parade will be kicked off by actor Alison Brie, the “Glow” star currently starring in Peacock’s “Apples Never Fall.” Coverage begins with the Today Show at 7 a.m.
For cord cutters, the parade is being simulcast on Peacock and an encore telecast begins at 2 p.m. EST/PST. A Spanish language simulcast will also be on Telemundo.
Parade history
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, an iconic American tradition, made its debut on November 27, 1924.
Originally called the Macy’s Christmas Parade, the event was created by Macy’s employees to celebrate the holiday season, promote the department store’s brand-new location, and boost holiday sales, according to the Library of Congress.
The first parade included a lively lineup of floats, performances, and even animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo, delighting spectators along the route. The event was an immediate success, drawing crowds eager to kick off the festive season.
Balloons were introduced in 1927, with Felix the Cat having the honor of being the first parade balloon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
