Rose Parade braces for near-certain rain as storm soaks SoCal

Rain was falling over the Southland on Wednesday afternoon as the region headed into the new year soggy and with the virtual certainty of a wet 2026 Rose Parade.

Forecasters warned of a “near 100% chance” of rain falling on the parade route — including overnight as spectators camp along Colorado Boulevard — marking the first wet New Year’s organizers have seen since 2006.

“The bulk of the rain looks like it’s going to start late tonight,” meteorologist Bryan Lewis said Wednesday, “and continue into tomorrow morning.”

Within that time frame, there’s a 20% to 30% chance of thunderstorms, according to Lewis, who is with the National Weather Service’s Oxnard office. Lewis expects the chance of thunderstorms to begin tapering off around 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, or about two to three hours after the parade’s 8 a.m. kickoff.

There’s also a chance of lightning, as with any thunderstorm, Lewis noted.

Lightning typically seeks the highest conductive point, raising concerns in large open areas with bleacher-seated crowds and steel-framed parade floats.

“Floats could be vulnerable, especially out in the middle of the street. … Winds and heavy rain could [affect] some of those floats too,” Lewis said. “If there is lightning, people should try to move to covered areas, indoors or into vehicles.”

Radar shows a storm covering much of the Southland on Wednesday afternoon.

(National Weather Service)

Pasadena spokesperson Lisa Derderian said that parade organizers were preparing responses to different weather scenarios and would have a meteorologist present during the parade.

“Throughout the year, we train on worst-case scenarios and always hope for the best,” Derderian told The Times. “Should we need to give direction to parade-goers due to extreme weather, we have boots-on-the-ground personnel, tournament volunteers, public address systems and additional resources that can assist within minutes if the need exists.”

In 2006, four floats had breakdowns, spectators wore ponchos, and musicians struggled with wet instruments and flags. Organizers said for Thursday’s event, float riders would have ponchos on hand, and additional tow trucks will be staged along the route in case floats stall.

Event attendees should note that umbrellas are not permitted along the parade route because they block the view for others. Parade organizers have urged spectators to bring a rain jacket or poncho instead.

Even if lightning does not materialize, the New Year’s storm system could still bring heavy downpours and gusty winds of 10 to 25 mph, with stronger gusts possible if a thunderstorm moves through, forecasters said.

Urban flooding remains a risk in Pasadena and throughout Los Angeles, Lewis said.

The city’s Emergency Operations Center activated Wednesday to coordinate preparedness measures. Police are contacting residents at especially vulnerable properties, while the Los Angeles Fire Department is augmenting staffing to assist with any swift-water rescues and debris flows.

“I urge all Angelenos to stay vigilant, use caution on the roads — especially if traveling for the New Year’s holiday — and sign up for emergency alerts at NotifyLA.org,” Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state had again pre-positioned fire, rescue and emergency crews in areas most at risk for flooding, mud and debris flows, with special attention in recent burn scar areas.

“California is once again bracing for intense winter weather, and we’re taking every precaution to keep people safe,” Newsom said in a statement.

The New Year’s storm system comes on the heels of a Christmas holiday deluge that caused fatalities, spurred swift-water rescues and toppled trees. Some Southern California mountain communities were buried in mud. The incoming system will not be as intense, but drenched soil is more vulnerable to rock- and mudslides.

The system was approaching from the south on Tuesday as strong Santa Ana winds began to ease. Showers could linger through Friday.

Rainfall totals are expected to range from about three-quarters of an inch to 2 inches in coastal and valley areas, with 2 to 5 inches possible in foothill and mountain communities. An additional half an inch of rain could fall Friday.

Flood watches have been issued for much of Los Angeles County and Orange County coastal and inland areas from Wednesday evening through Thursday evening.

The areas of highest concern stretch along coastal and foothill regions from Santa Barbara through Los Angeles counties, as well as parts of the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills, where soils remain saturated from earlier storms.

Evacuation warnings took effect at 11 a.m. Wednesday in areas affected by the Franklin and Palisades fires around Pacific Palisades, the Eaton fire in Altadena, the Canyon fire near Castaic, the Agua and Lidia fires near the Magic Mountain Wilderness Area, the Bridge fire near Wrightwood, the Sunset fire near West Hollywood and the Kenneth fire near Calabasas.

Road closures are planned on Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Pacific Coast Highway and Grand View Drive starting at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Along with pre-positioning efforts led by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, crews from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the California Highway Patrol and California Department of Transportation are staged across the state to respond to flooding, rockslides, fallen trees and power outages.

Resources already deployed to Los Angeles and Ventura counties include seven swift-water rescue teams, three bulldozers, four hand crews, seven fire engines, two helicopters, one urban search-and-rescue company and more than 20 support personnel.

“By pre-positioning emergency crews and activating resources in advance, we can respond faster and more effectively if conditions deteriorate,” Newsom said.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors met Wednesday morning to ratify a local emergency proclamation, allowing the county to seek reimbursement for storm damage and speed up recovery efforts.