It never rains on the Rose Parade, right?
That’s what organizers like to say, and they likely will get their wish, again, in 2025.
Paradegoers might want to bundle up, yes, but even those coming the night before can expect to stay dry through the conclusion of the Jan. 1 spectacle, said Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
“If people are camping out like they like to do beforehand, we’re looking at some temperatures in the 40s (and maybe even) upper 40s, so a little bit chilly at night, but no precipitation is expected,” Wofford said.
Paradegoers can expect clear skies and warmer temperatures as the morning goes on, of course, with Wofford forecasting at least the low-60s by the time the parade, which will begin at 8 a.m., is over.
“We are having some periods of Santa Ana winds during that time, but typically those are not affecting the San Gabriel Valley and the area where the parade is, so (the Weather Service is) expecting generally light winds in that area,” he said.
It has not rained on the Rose Parade — first put on in 1890 in part to showcase the lack of snow and generally pleasant weather that allows flowers to robustly bloom here — since 2006.
Sometimes, it may rain at another time during New Year’s Day, but rarely during the parade.
“This time of year, on any given day, we have like a 13% chance of rain,” the meteorologist explained. “But whittle it down into those two hours, it’s even a smaller chance.
“In Southern California, we don’t get a ton of rain, so that’s the way it is.”
Wofford’s optimism, backed with science, makes sense — especially this year.
After all, the theme of the 2025 parade, which 700,000-plus people are expected to see live, is “Best Day Ever!”