Balloons may be grounded for Thursday’s parade

Along with high winds threatening to hinder flights in the Northeast on Wednesday, conditions may remain blustery enough to cause trouble for balloons at the 93rd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

The famous balloons of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade can only be operated if sustained wind conditions stay below 23 mph and wind gusts are not expected to exceed 34 mph based on city regulations, according to Orlando Veras, a Macy’s Parade spokesman.

Conditions expected on Thanksgiving Day may exceed these thresholds.

The same storm that will bring rain and snow from the Midwest to the Northeast spanning Tuesday and Wednesday will generate strong winds in the Northeast on Wednesday and through Thanksgiving Day in New York City.

“Gusts are forecast to frequent 30-50 mph from the north and northwest on Thanksgiving Day in the New York metro area,” according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Courtney Travis.

Higher gusts are possible between the buildings where the wind is funneled and over the bridges where there are no obstructions.

“Winds this strong will be a safety concern for balloon handlers and spectators along the parade route,” Travis said.

The last time the parade’s balloons were grounded due to inclement weather was nearly 50 years ago in 1971, according to The New York Times.

Winds may be strong enough to cause problems from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday.

The balloons are scheduled to be inflated the afternoon and evening before the parade near the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan.

Along with gusty winds, rain showers will be in the vicinity during Wednesday afternoon and evening.

While high winds may ease by Friday afternoon, blustery conditions may persist in New York City, as well as New England into the weekend.

For those using the Central Park observation site, the equipment does not accurately depict wind strength in the region and should not be used in critical situations for wind measurement and determining wind chill and AccuWeather RealFeel® information.

Cumulative, official wind observations from surrounding airports such as Newark International, LaGuardia and JFK International should be used instead for determining wind speed in Manhattan.