Southern Californians coming off record-breaking rains over the Christmas holiday may have wet weather to usher in the new year — including a high chance of rain on the Rose Parade.
The last time the show got wet was in 2006, when sheets of rain soaked the floats and moving belts past poncho-clad spectators on the five-and-a-half-mile course in Pasadena.
Before that, rain hadn’t entered the parade since 1955 – and only eight 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 Sunday.
The New Year’s storm won’t pack anything close to the one that turned the region into a mudslide last week, spawned a mini-tornado in Boyle Heights and contributed to the deaths of five people.
But it could cut short the Rose Parade, starting with spectators camped out along Colorado Boulevard on New Year’s Eve for a prime viewing spot.
Rain should start falling that night, with about a tenth of an inch expected, and another half an inch on New Year’s Day, said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
“People camping on New Year’s Eve to watch the show will probably get a little wet,” he said. “During the show itself, it’s supposed to rain, but nothing close to what we just got – not even on the same field.”
For now, things should stay dry, and Santa Ana conditions are expected through Tuesday.
Officials with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Assn. they try to stay positive, saying they try to avoid “the R word.”
“History shows us that the sun tends to appear at the right time,” said David Eads, the organization’s chief executive. “But whatever the weather, we’re ready. The Rose Parade is going to be magical, and the Rose Bowl game is going to be amazing.”
If the rain comes, the tops will go up on the swings that line the parade route, Eads said. On the other hand, he added, rain is “actually good for flowers, which do better in cooler weather.”
The theme of this year’s show is “The Magic in Teamwork,” and the grand marshal is basketball legend and entrepreneur Earvin “Magic” Johnson. In 2006, the theme of the show was also related to magic.
With so much rain over the past two months, there should not be a repeat of the devastating wildfires of January.
“The fire season is over 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 heavy storms in November, kicking off Southern California’s rainy season — which began on Oct. 1 – one of the heaviest rains ever. By Friday afternoon, it was already ranked among the seven wettest in the region – a big departure from last year’s dry weather.
Downtown Los Angeles has received 11.13 inches so far this rainy season. The average value at this point is 3.28 inches, Thompson said.
Last week’s storm broke Christmas Eve and Christmas Day rainfall records in many areas.
Some areas in the mountains received nearly 18 inches of rain in the last five days, through Saturday morning. Downtown LA received 4.2 inches of rain. Porter Ranch received more than 9 inches and La Cañada Flintridge received more than 7 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
In Wrightwood, which lives in the San Gabriel Mountains, residents dug through the rivers of mud and debris that flooded their homes.
In Los Angeles, police responded to more than 520 traffic accidents during the storm. Firefighters went to five river rescues, and city crews fielded about 750 “emergency tree” calls, including downed trees and downed branches.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared states of emergency in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Shasta counties.
In Redding, a 74-year-old man died after driving his truck into a flooded road. In Mendocino County, a woman was knocked over a rock by a large wave on the beach. And in San Diego, a man was hit by a falling tree.
On Friday, authorities reported finding a man dead in a partially submerged car in the Lancaster area.
The fifth death related to the storm occurred in Fresno County, where the body of a 21-year-old boy was found in a car, which was 12 feet under water in a ditch, according to ABC30 in Central California.
At Mammoth Mountain, two skiers were seriously injured Friday morning when they were hit by a slide while doing “avalanche mitigation work.” One security guard sustained serious injuries and was taken off-site for treatment; the second guard may have broken bones.
On Saturday, one of the busiest times of the year for local ski resorts, the mountain remained closed. It will reopen on Sunday.
Times staff writer Noah Haggerty contributed to this report.
