Event Weather
Parade Weather Safety Plan: Lightning, Heat, Wind, Floats, and Crowd Routes
How parade organizers can plan for weather hazards, including lightning, heat, wind, float safety, crowd routes, and cancellation decisions.
Quick answer: Parades need weather triggers because crowds, floats, bands, and blocked roads make last-minute severe weather decisions harder.
Route risk
Parades stretch people along roads with limited shelter. Lightning, heat, and high wind can affect participants and spectators at the same time.
Identify shelter options along the route before the event.
Floats and wind
High wind can affect banners, floats, temporary structures, and sound equipment.
Secure or cancel before winds reach unsafe levels.
Stop decisions
Define who can delay, reroute, or cancel and how that message reaches police, volunteers, participants, and spectators.
A clear early call is safer than a chaotic late call.