Who’s the leader of the Thanksgiving Day parade that’s made for you and me?
It won’t be the 40-foot tall Mickey Mouse balloon — or any of the other behemoths that usually fly over Broadway — if the wind kicks up too strongly Thursday.
Right now, the National Weather Service is forecasting clear skies and a high of 53 degrees for the 85th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, ie. almost perfect parade weather.
The only potential hitch is that the forecast also calls for wind speeds of 15 mph and gusts close to 24 mph.
“That could have an impact on the parade,” meteorologist Joe Pollina warned Monday.
Wind speeds exceeding 23 mph or the gusts stronger than 34 mph would ground Sailor Mickey, Snoopy, Hello Kitty, Spongebob Squarepants and the eleven other gigantic balloons, Macy’s spokesman Orlando Veras said.
But he’s not expecting that will happen.
“Every year at this point there’s a prediction of high winds and every year the balloons fly,” said Veras.
The last time any of the balloons were grounded because of high wind was back in the 1990s, said Veras.
And before that, a helium shortage during the 1940s forced organizers to improvise — they filled the biggest balloons with air and suspended them from moving cranes for the parade down Broadway, Veras said.
“We are monitoring the weather closely,” he said. “And even if the winds were too strong, there would still be 44 other smaller balloons in the parade.”
Also, added Veras, who is to say the beloved Sailor Mickey balloon will lead the parade?
“We haven’t announced the parade line up yet,” he said. “We keep that a secret until Thanksgiving morning.”
Wind guidelines were put into place after a 1997 accident involving a runaway balloon left a Manhattan woman in a coma and three other people injured.
“Our decision of whether the biggest balloons fly is based on current wind conditions about an hour before the parade starts” at 9 a.m., Veras said.
Each of the big balloons is escorted by a police officer who monitors wind speeds on the ground and can order it deflated if things get hairy.
This year, two brand new giant balloons will make their debut — Julius the sock monkey and B, the balloon boy.
Also this year, the opening ribbon will be cut by 20 children whose parents were killed in the Sept. 11 attacks. They too will march in the parade.
BEST STREET VIEWING
For the best curbside view of the 85th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, stake out a spot at the following locations:
- Central Park South
- Central Park West
- Seventh Ave. between 59th — 48th Sts.
- Sixth Ave., between 42nd and 34th Sts.
- And avoid Times Square, Macy’s warns.
BEST TV VIEWING
New Yorkers who don’t want to brave the crowds can watch on the parade’s official TV outlet, WNBC/Ch. 4.
Starting at 9 a.m., it will have Matt Lauer, Al Roker and Ann Curry leading viewers through the event from outside Macy’s in Herald Square.
CBS’ coverage will be based in Times Square and hosted by Kevin Frazier, co-host of “The Insider,” and “Entertainment Tonight” correspondent Christina McLarty.
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