“New Year’s Eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights.” ~ Hamilton Wright Mabie,

American writer, 1845-1916

Another Christmas Day has passed. Surrounded by Amazon boxes, a not-too-fresh Christmas tree, leftover feast remnants and general clutter from a well celebrated holiday, I begin writing Weather in the Foothills’ final column for 2016. In trying to move forward, I feel pulled back as if a certain intonation or feeling still lingers in the air.

Beginning Christmas Eve and through Christmas night, it felt as though there was a “pause in the march of the universe” and creation had become “breathless in a moment of silence.” These past days came with some of weather’s finest attributes: a good soaking rain and blustery winds followed by stellar blue skies and freezing cold winter nights. The New Year is predicted to arrive under similar weather conditions.

At the Winter Solstice, the amount of daylight starts to increase. We also welcome the annual Tournament of Roses Parade. Each year, we hope “it won’t rain on our parade.” According to Rose Parade records, it has rained nine times since the Pasadena Valley Hunt Club staged the first parade in 1890. Local tradition claims “the Tournament has a deal with God; we’ll never hold the parade on a Sunday, and He’ll never let it rain on the Rose Parade.” I like to believe this version, but according to the Parade’s website, the “Never on Sunday” policy was instituted in order “to avoid frightening horses tethered outside local churches and thus interferring with worship services.” Thus the parade has never been held on a Sunday. And from 1955 through 2005, the route was dry. Many years prior, the means of transportation to church had shifted from equine to motor. To this day there is no parade on Sunday, and no scared horses. Pasadena’s parade history for 2017 may need updating from nine to 10 times for wet parades. Potentially, New Year’s Day and the entire weekend is forecast to be “very wet.” Hopefully only wet streets and snow capped mountains remain, as for the parade on Jan. 2.

May the New Year be a peaceful one.

Sue Kilpatrick is a

Crescenta Valley resident and

Official Skywarn Spotter for the

National Weather Service. Reach her at  suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.

  Sue Kilpatrick