Rose Parade Faces Rainy Challenges as New Year Begins

Fri Jan 02 2026 00:11:17 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

For the first time in two decades, the iconic Rose Parade in Pasadena was drenched in rain as flood warnings affected parts of Southern California. The unusual weather coincided with adverse conditions across the country, including snow squalls in the Midwest and freezing temperatures in New York City.

The 137th Rose Parade in Pasadena struggled against unexpected rainfall on January 1, 2026, marking the first time the event faced such weather in 20 years. Despite organizers making minor adjustments, spectators braved the rain as nationwide weather issues, including snow in the Midwest and cold in the Northeast, presented a mixed start to the new year. Over a quarter of flights were delayed in major airports due to the weather disruptions.

Rained poured down on the iconic Rose Parade on Thursday for the first time in 20 years, as flood warnings and evacuation orders in Southern California joined snow squalls and frigid temperatures in the country’s midsection to mark the first day of 2026.

Marching bands, floats and throngs of spectators were soaked by one to two inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) of New Year’s Day rain at the 137th Rose Parade in Pasadena. The mercury stood at a chilly 58 degrees Fahrenheit (14.4 degrees Celsius) at the 8 a.m. start of the parade.

Across the country, in New York City, hats and gloves were necessary at the city’s New Year’s Eve ball drop, where temperatures near freezing appeared to be the coldest in 10 years.

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered along the nearly six-mile (10-kilometer) route in Pasadena. The two-hour parade kicked off with many braving the elements, while organizers at the Pasadena Tournament of Roses made adjustments, including keeping the tops down on convertibles carrying grand marshal Earvin “Magic” Johnson and other VIPs.

Rain forecasts for the Rose Parade had been growing all week. On Thursday, the National Weather Service issued a flood watch for all California counties and a coastal flood advisory through Sunday afternoon along much of the Pacific Coast near San Francisco.

Residents in the areas hardest hit by last year’s devastating wildfires were also under evacuation warnings, further complicating the New Year’s celebrations.

In New York City, the sun emerged ahead of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s inaugural celebration, but other areas of the Northeast and Midwest were hit by an Alberta clipper storm. This brought snow squalls and high winds affecting conditions from Wisconsin through northern Illinois and Michigan and into northern New Jersey, southeastern New York, and New England.

Conditions varied widely, from snow showers to heavier squalls, impacting travel. About a quarter of flights were delayed out of both San Diego International Airport and Boston Logan, according to FlightAware.