Organizers and spectators at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will likely be keeping a close eye on the latest weather forecast, because strong gusty winds may be blowing the big balloons in downtown Manhattan on Thursday.
Forecasters from the National Weather Service in New York are calling for steady surface winds of 16 to 20 mph Thanksgiving morning and 21 mph in the early afternoon, with wind gusts expected to range from 26 mph in the morning to 36 mph in the early afternoon.
Some parts of the New York metro region could see occasional peak wind gusts as high 40 to 45 mph, according to the weather service’s current forecast.
Tom Turkey by Macy’s will return for the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 27, 2025, in New York City. The Tom Turkey float is the longest-running in the parade.AP
New York has strict safety rules dictating how high the iconic Thanksgiving parade balloons can fly, depending on how strong the winds are blowing.
Under city regulations, steady winds cannot exceed 23 mph, and gusts can’t go above 34 mph for the balloons to safely fly in the parade.
The rules were implemented after powerful winds during the Thanksgiving parade in November 1997 caused a Cat in the Hat balloon to knock down a light pole, injuring four people, including one who ended up in a coma.
Macy’s balloons have been grounded only once in the parade’s 99-year history. That was in 1971, when nasty weather kept the inflatables from flying.
Organizers of the 2025 Thanksgiving Day parade could not be immediately reached for comment Monday. So it’s not yet known if Spider-Man, Minnie Mouse or other giant balloon characters will have to fly lower than usual.
Regardless what happens with the balloons, parade spectators should be advised to bundle up. Temperatures in Manhattan are forecast to be stuck in the low 40s Thursday morning, and the wind will make it feel as cold as 32 to 36 degrees.
Current weather radar
