Are you traveling to New York City for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year? We’re sharing the weather forecast affecting the parade and travel plans
The Macy’s Day Parade may experience light winds and rain showers on Thanksgiving Day(Image: Getty Images)
Every year, over 3 million people gather to watch the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City — rain or shine.
If you’re traveling to New York City to witness the spectacle live, there are a couple of storm systems that could put a wrench in your travel plans. Currently, there are predictions of light showers, cloudy skies, and possible wind gusts on Thanksgiving in New York City, which means you will want to be prepared if you’ll be watching the parade outside.
On Thursday, Nov. 27, the parade starts on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and finishes at Macy’s Herald Square flagship store on 34th Street. The parade will feature 34 balloons and four mini-balloons, among dozens of floats and performers.
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Windy and rainy conditions on Thanksgiving Day in New York City have posed hazards to the parade in years past.
Strong winds have caused some of the beloved inflatable character balloons to actually defy gravity in certain years. Following dangerous weather conditions, in 1998, New York City adopted guidelines that prohibit Macy’s from flying the full-sized balloons if sustained winds exceed 23 mph or wind gusts exceed 35 mph.
If you and your family are making the trek to New York City to watch the parade this Thanksgiving, here is everything you need to know about the predicted weather conditions:
Meteorologists predict extremely strong winds should hold off until after the parade (Image: AccuWeather)What will the weather be like for the Macy’s Day Parade?
Currently, the Thanksgiving week weather forecast for the Northeast is expected to include inclement weather; however, meteorologists anticipate that the weather will calm down on Thursday in New York City.
“At this time, we believe strong winds behind the front will hold off in New York City until the afternoon or evening and should be relatively light for the large balloons during Thanksgiving morning,” AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.
Continuing, he added, “However, if the front is faster, winds may kick up sooner.”
As a cold front pivots toward the Appalachians from Wednesday to Thanksgiving Day, there is a potential for rain and snow showers in the Northeast. AccuWeather meteorologists report that dry air may chase away the showers in New York City around the time the parade starts. There is a chance that the cold front could bring showers for the majority of the day.
The Weather Channel also predicts that “Strong, chilly winds may linger in the Northeast and possibly parts of the Midwest” on Thanksgiving Day.
As long as the chilly balloon-threatening wind gusts remain on the calmer side, parade-goers should expect a temperature in the 50s and mostly cloudy skies.
New York City could see windy and rainy conditions on Thanksgiving(Image: Getty Images)The weather may impact travel to New York City for Thanksgiving
Storm systems are headed to the Northeast this week, bringing threats of heavy rain, wind, snow, and thunderstorms. If you are driving or flying to New York City for the parade, it is essential to stay up to date with the weather conditions.
A storm system is set to impact two-thirds of the U.S. during one of the busiest travel times ahead of Thanksgiving, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. They forecast that much of the central, eastern, and southern parts of the country will be impacted by inclement weather.
“The storm will be losing some of its intensity and moisture as it travels from the Central states to the Northeast, but given the travel volume, even a few hours of rain can create significant problems on the roads and runways from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, New York City and Boston,” reports Pastelok.