There are several traditions when it comes to Thanksgiving. There’s the travel, seeing loved ones, football (both professional and the backyard variety), and of course, don’t forget the turkey. But for millions of people, Thanksgiving Day starts by turning on the television to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The 2.5-mile route through the streets of Midtown Manhattan features marching bands, floats, celebrities, and finishes off with the arrival of Santa. But the most visibly stunning part of the parade are the giant, inflatable balloons of familiar cartoon characters and company mascots that soar above the millions of people that line the streets of the parade each year.
While the balloons are an iconic part of the parade dating all the way back to the 1920s, they are also the most susceptible to the weather, as gusty winds can wreak havoc on the balloons and their handlers. With tree-lined streets by Central Park and lampposts and street signs all along the route, several balloons throughout the years have met an unfortunate demise after being blown into the sharp, unforgiving hazards.
1997 Parade
One of the most notorious parades for balloons happened on Thanksgiving Day 1997. That morning, New York City was on the backside of a strong low pressure system centered over New England, causing powerful sustained winds above 30 mph with gusts close to 50 mph to blow across the city.
After a long battle to keep it under control, the wind eventually became too much for the Barney dinosaur balloon, which was shredded by a streetlight in Times Square.
A more serious incident occurred up by Central Park with the Cat in the Hat balloon, one of the largest in that year’s parade. Even though the balloon was held lower to the ground, it was still big enough for a gust to push it into a lamppost, causing part of it to snap and fall onto spectators, leaving one person in a month-long coma.
Wind Guidelines for Balloons
That incident prompted strict new rules for the balloons, limiting their size and setting wind thresholds for when the balloons can be used in the parade. Large balloons are now forbidden to fly if sustained winds are above 23 mph and/or if gusts top 34 mph. In addition, according to the New York Times, multiple wind sensors are placed along several locations along the parade route to monitor real-time conditions. The added sensors help officials account for funneling of the winds that can occur between the tall buildings of New York City that were not detected using weather data from nearby airports. And when the balloons are allowed in the parade, the wind data helps officials determine if they can be flown at their full height or if they should be kept lower to the ground if enough of a breeze is present.
Will Balloons Be Allowed This Year?
It’s going to be a cloudy and cool Thanksgiving morning in New York City on Thursday, with temperatures in the 40s during the parade, and a low chance of a brief sprinkle or light drizzle. But when it comes to the balloons, the forecast looks good, as winds are expected to be light in the city. So the millions of people lining the streets and the millions more watching at home should be able to enjoy watching the giant inflatable characters make their way through the streets of the Big Apple!
Video: How Wind Impacts Balloons at Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade