Southern Californians mopping up from record-breaking rains over the Christmas holiday may be in for more wet weather to usher in the new year — including a high likelihood of rain on the Rose Parade.
The last time the parade got drenched was in 2006, when sheets of rain soaked the floats and marching bands making their way past poncho-wearing spectators on the five and a half mile route in Pasadena.
Prior to that, rain had not fallen on the parade since 1955 — and only eight other times since the floats, traditionally decorated with real flowers, began rolling in 1890, usually on New Year’s Day, except when Jan. 1 falls on a Sunday.
The New Year’s storm won’t pack anything close to the punch of the one that turned the region into a muddy mess last week, producing a small tornado in Boyle Heights and playing a role in the deaths of at least four people.
But it could put a damper on the Rose Parade, beginning with the spectators camping out along Colorado Boulevard on New Year’s Eve to secure a prime viewing spot.
Rain should start to fall that night, with as much as a tenth of an inch expected, along with another half an inch on New Year’s Day, said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
“People camping out New Year’s Eve for the parade will probably get a little bit wet,” he said. “During the parade itself, it should be raining, but nothing anywhere near what we just experienced — not even in the same ballpark.”
In the interim, things should stay dry, with Santa Ana conditions expected through Tuesday.
Officials with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Assn. are trying to remain optimistic, saying they try to avoid “the word that begins with an R.”
“History shows us the sun tends to show up right on time,” said David Eads, the association’s chief executive. “But no matter the weather, we’re prepared. The Rose Parade will be magical, and the Rose Bowl game will be spectacular.”
If rain does come, the tops will go up on the convertibles that traverse the parade route, Eads said. On the upside, he added, rain is “actually really good for the flowers, which do better in cooler weather.”
This year’s parade theme is “The Magic in Teamwork,” and the grand marshal is basketball legend and entrepreneur Earvin “Magic” Johnson. In 2006, the parade’s theme was also magic-related.
With so much rain over the past two months, there should be no repeat of January’s devastating wildfires.
“Fire season is definitely done now,” said Thompson of the National Weather Service. “We’re good until late spring, early summer at this point.”
The Christmas holiday rain totals came on top of strong storms in November, making the start to Southern California’s rainy season — which began Oct. 1 — one of the wettest ever. By midday Friday, it already ranked among the seven wettest for the region — a major departure from last year’s dry weather.
Downtown Los Angeles has received 11.13 inches so far this rainy season. A normal amount by this point would be 3.28 inches, Thompson said.
Last week’s storm broke rainfall records for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in many places.
Some mountain areas received close to 18 inches of rain. Downtown L.A. got 4.2 inches of rain through Saturday morning. Porter Ranch got more than 9 inches and La Cañada Flintridge got more than 7 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
In Wrightwood, nestled in the San Gabriel Mountains, residents were digging out of rivers of mud and debris that washed through their homes.
In Los Angeles, police responded to more than 520 traffic accidents during the storm. Firefighters went to five river rescue incidents, and city crews fielded calls for about 750 “tree emergencies,” including downed trees and fallen branches.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared emergencies in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Shasta counties.
In Redding, a 74‑year‑old man died after driving his pickup truck into a flooded roadway. In Mendocino County, a woman was knocked off a rock by a large wave at a beach. And in San Diego, a man was fatally struck by a falling tree.
On Friday, authorities reported finding a deceased man in a partially submerged vehicle in the Lancaster area.
A fifth possibly storm-related death took place in Fresno County, where the body of a 21-year-old was found in a vehicle, which was 12 feet underwater in a canal, according to ABC30 in Central California.
At Mammoth Mountain, two ski patrollers suffered significant injuries Friday morning when a slide hit as they performed “avalanche mitigation work.” One patroller sustained serious injuries and was transported out of the area for further care; the second patroller may have suffered broken bones.
On Saturday, during one of the busiest times of the year for local ski resorts, the mountain remained closed.
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