Talk of rain on the Rose Parade is usually the kind of thing most of us don’t wanna hear about, but here we are. With New Year’s Eve coming in wet across most of LA, it also looks like rain on New Year’s Day is in the forecast, too, right as the 137th Rose Parade starts to roll out on Colorado Boulevard.
Yes, the phrase “don’t rain on my parade” will be literal this time, for the first time in 20 years.
Closer to home, West Hollywood can expect much the same. The NWS forecast centered near the city shows rain developing Wednesday, then a wetter Wednesday night with 1 to 2 inches possible, followed by rain again on New Year’s Day.
For the Rose Parade itself, rain is rare, but it’s not unheard of. The Associated Press says it’s only rained 10 times in the parade’s 137-year history: 1895, 1899, 1906, 1910, 1916, 1922, 1934, 1937, 1955 & 2006
And no, they’re not canceling. The parade is built to run regardless, and organizers have been saying for days that preparations continue as normal, with weather adjustments as needed. The only times the Parade was interrupted were for COVID in 2021 and WWII back in 1942, 1943 and 1945.
If you’re thinking about making the trek to Pasadena and camping out for a front-row spot, here are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind (a full list of rules is posted here):
Overnight camping is only permitted on the night of Dec. 31. You can start holding a position along the route at noon Dec. 31.
You can keep your stuff on the curb until 11 p.m., when spectators can move out to the blue Honor Line, but not past it.
Tents, sofas, and boxes used as seats are prohibited.
Umbrellas are not permitted along the parade route, you gotta use rain jackets and ponchos instead. Umbrellas obstruct the views.
If seeing the parade in person, in the rain, isn’t your thing, you can catch the coverage live on KTLA (Channel 5) and streaming on KTLA+.
