More wet weather is on tap for Southern California this week, which may result in the first rainy Rose Parade in two decades.
The rain is forecast to reach the Los Angeles area between sunset on New Year’s Eve and the morning of New Year’s Day, said Mike Wofford, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. The heaviest precipitation will likely fall on New Year’s Day and Saturday, with light showers the Friday in between, Wofford said.
In total, the storms are expected to drop 1 to 3 inches of rain in valley and coastal areas and 3 to 5 inches in the mountains — amounts that, while substantial, are less than what fell during the atmospheric river storms that caused flooding, debris flows and a tornado last week, Wofford said. Still, some flooding is likely, he said, since waterways are still swollen and soils still saturated from those earlier storms.
The weather could also create a soggy experience for the hundreds of thousands of people who flock to Pasadena each year to watch floats and bands wind their way down 5.5 miles of Orange Grove, Colorado and Sierra Madre boulevards, with some camping out overnight.
Rose Parade officials say they’re prepared for the predicted rain.
“At the Tournament of Roses, we try not to use that word,” David Eads, the organization’s chief executive, said in a statement. “History tells us the sun usually shows up right on time.”
The last time it rained during the parade was in 2006, and that was only the 10th time in the event’s history, according to a Times report. Spectators donned ponchos, participants wrestled with soaked instruments and sodden flags, and four floats — from the cities of Burbank and Sierra Madre, the Walt Disney Co., and Trader Joe’s — broke down, probably because of wet conditions, according to the report.
This year, Pasadena officials are anticipating more medical calls for things like hypothermia and foot injuries from marching in wet socks, said city spokesperson Lisa Derderian.
She also expects an uptick in warming bonfires — “in the past we’ve seen people that will throw firewood into a washing machine drum” — which can injure bystanders or ignite nearby structures. Each year, officers drive down the parade route and tell people to extinguish them, she said.
Spectators should remember that fires must be in professionally manufactured barbecues at least 1 foot off the ground, and tents are forbidden, Derderian said. Those planning to spend the night should instead opt for weather-rated sleeping bags, waterproof clothes and hand warmers, she said.
Umbrellas are prohibited in the parade grandstands, and spectators are encouraged to leave them at home if they’re standing elsewhere along the route, said Candy Carlson, a spokesperson for the Tournament of Roses. Float riders will have ponchos on standby, and there will be plenty of tow trucks available to haul any displays that break down, she added.
Residents who live near Rose Bowl Stadium should prepare for the possibility that some cars will need to park on neighborhood streets, as the grass in the overflow game parking area will likely be too saturated, Derderian said.
The city does not plan to order additional staffing due to the weather, as most employees will already be on duty, she said.
“Pretty much if you work for the city of Pasadena, you’re working either New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, whether you’re police, fire or public works,” she said. “It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation.”
