High Winds Threaten Macy's Thanksgiving Parade Balloons

(RTTNews) - A winter storm approaching the New York metro area with high winds might force the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to ground its famous balloons.

City regulations say the balloons cannot be flown when sustained winds exceed 23 mph and gusts exceed 34 mph. The National Weather Service predicts sustained winds of 30 mph and gusts of 45 mph.

The storm has already made a mess of travel for millions, starting out West before hitting southern states and churning up the Eastern seaboard.

In its 87th year, the parade is scheduled to feature perennial favorite balloons like Spongebob Squarepants, Snoopy from Peanuts, and Papa Smurf. Performers include teen starlet Debby Ryan, fitness guru Richard Simmons and country singer Kellie Pickler.

A few million people gather along the 2.5 mile mid-town Manhattan parade route, while 50 million people watch on NBC from the comfort of home.

Organizers are holding out hope the storm will spare New York.

A spokesperson for the parade tells Bloomberg that the decision on the giant balloons will be made "based on real-time, on-the-scene weather data, not via forecasts."