It will likely rain for Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, meteorologists say
The rain is likely to stick around for most of Turkey Day, but shouldn't impact travel — or be enough to lift the drought.
Sorry, Barbra Streisand: There are strong odds that it’s going to rain for the parade.
Forecasts say there is a 90% chance of rain for Philadelphia’s 6abc Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Parade, which begins at 9 a.m. Thursday, said Ray Martin, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Mount Holly. That rain should stick around for most of the day, Martin said, ushering in some mild winds and a cold front that could have temperatures dipping into the 20s over the weekend.
“It’s not a very good Thanksgiving if you plan to play football in the yard,” Martin said. “But if you’re planning to just be indoors, it’s great.”
The pressure system responsible for the rain has been moving from the Southwest up to the Northeast since Monday, explained Martin, bringing with it much more seasonable temperatures and a slight chance for snow in the Poconos. Temperatures will be in the 40s on Thanksgiving in the region and will gradually decline until they slip into the 20s overnight on Saturday.
Still, it shouldn’t be much of a problem for travel on Turkey Day, said Martin, who expects road conditions to be normal.
Thanksgiving Day is actually the best day to travel, since roadways will have far less congestion, said AAA spokesperson Jana Tidwell. Still, Thursday is not likely to be without issue.
“The rain will compromise visibility,” Tidwell said. “Drivers should prepare for wet-weather driving [and] allow for plenty of extra time” to get to their destination.
AAA estimates that around 872,000 Philadelphia-area residents will be hitting the road during the Thanksgiving travel period of Nov. 26 to Dec. 2, with the worst traffic expected Tuesday from 1 to 7 p.m. and Wednesday from 1 to 5 p.m.
» READ MORE: The Philly weather might be a turkey on Thanksgiving, and then expect a major chill
Is the drought over?
Despite the impending rain, “we’re still in the drought hole,” said Martin.
Even though it rained for four consecutive calendar days in November, most of that wasn’t actually measurable. Streams that dried up during the thick of the drought are still dry, for example, Martin said, while the Delaware River Basin Commission said that the Delaware’s water levels were down by 60% in mid-November.
Much of the Philadelphia region and South Jersey are still in “extreme drought” conditions, per the U.S. Drought Monitor. Both Pennsylvania and New Jersey are asking residents to voluntarily conserve water under drought advisories.
» READ MORE: Dried waterways stun residents, leave fish stranded, and hurt outdoor tourism
Philadelphia has received a measly 2.19 inches of rain since Sept. 1, largely an amalgamation of what Martin referred to as “several light sprinkles.” That rain total is just under a fifth of what it normally should be in Philly this time of year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center.
“We haven’t seen any real recovery yet,” said Martin, so you can expect the drought to endure — for now.
Our recommendation: Be thankful for any bit of rain. And maybe a strong Eagles season, too.
» READ MORE: How you can conserve water as Pa. and N.J. drought drags on