The iconic Rose Parade in Pasadena experienced a rare downpour on Thursday, marking the first rain-soaked event in two decades. As the new year began, Southern California faced flood warnings and evacuation directives, while snow squalls and freezing temperatures gripped the central United States.

During the 137th Rose Parade, marching bands, vibrant floats, and spectators braved one to two inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) of rain. The event kicked off at 8 a.m. with temperatures hovering at a cool 58 degrees Fahrenheit (14.4 degrees Celsius), leaving attendees bundled up against the chill.

Meanwhile, in New York City, revelers at the New Year’s Eve ball drop donned hats and gloves as temperatures dipped near freezing, making it one of the coldest celebrations in the past decade.

In Pasadena, hundreds of thousands gathered along the nearly six-mile (10-kilometer) parade route, with millions more tuning in from home. Despite the weather, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, which coordinates the parade ahead of the Rose Bowl college football game, implemented only minor adjustments. Convertibles carrying grand marshal Earvin “Magic” Johnson and other VIPs had their tops raised to shield them from the rain.

Throughout the week, forecasts predicted rain for the Rose Parade, breaking a 20-year streak of dry conditions. On Thursday, the National Weather Service issued a flood watch across all California counties, along with a coastal flood advisory extending through Sunday afternoon for much of the area near San Francisco’s Pacific Coast.

Meanwhile, residents in the areas hit hardest by last year’s devastating Los Angeles-area wildfires were under evacuation warnings.

In New York City, the sun came out ahead of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s inaugural celebration, but other areas of the Northeast and Midwest were hit by an Alberta clipper storm and trailing Arctic front that brought snow squalls and high winds.

Conditions varied widely — from snow showers to heavier squalls — from Wisconsin through northern Illinois and Michigan and into northern New Jersey, southeastern New York and New England.

About a quarter of flights were delayed out of both San Diego International Airport and Boston Logan, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.