2 days ago
Army parade and 'No Kings' protests face rainy weekend forecast
Forecasters say rain will be a risk across much of the country on Saturday, a forecast that could affect protests, a military parade and a high-profile mass in Chicago.
A massive military parade is set for Washington D.C. while "No Kings" protests are planned for the weekend around the nation. Meanwhile, the huge outdoor mass in Chicago will feature a video address by the first American pope in his hometown.
Rain and bad weather could disrupt all of those events. Here's what we know about this weekend's weather forecast:
A massive military parade in Washington D.C. is being held Saturday, June 14 to honor the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army. As many as 200,000 people are anticipated to attend the event, which also falls on the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump, a huge fan of parades.
A festival will begin on the National Mall from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The parade begins at 6:30 p.m. and is expected to end at 7:30 p.m. A fireworks show will begin at 9:45 p.m.
As many as 6,600 soldiers, seven bands and 150 vehicles including tanks, will roll down the parade route, the U.S. Army said. The celebration will also include several aerial performances from aircraft such as, the UH-60 Black Hawk, AH-64 Apache and the CH-47 Chinook.
It might be a damp event. According to the National Weather Service, the day will be mostly cloudy with a high of near 88 degrees. Showers are likely after 2 p.m. with a chance of precipitation of 60%. For the fireworks, showers and possibly a thunderstorm are likely between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Protests are planned in hundreds of communities across the country on Saturday, June "No Kings Day," the rallies are being held to oppose what organizers see as Trump's power grab and focus on participants' patriotism and support for the U.S. Constitution. American flags are expected to be front and center.
Temperatures across the country will range from the 70s in the Pacific Northwest and northern California to the 80s and 90s in the Midwest and Southeast and the 70s in New York and New England, according to National Weather Service predictions. Sporadic rain is predicated mostly for the Southeast and Northeast.
Pope Leo XIV's hometown of Chicago is readying itself to celebrate the election of one of its own as leader of the Catholic Church on Saturday with an outdoor program and mass on Saturday, June 14. Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the sold-out event.
According to the Archdiocese of Chicago's website, the event will be held on June 14 at Rate Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox. Pope Leo will not be there himself, but a special video message will be shown.
The gates to the ballpark open at 2:30 p.m. and the mass takes place at 4 p.m. Umbrellas and jackets might be required. The National Weather Service predicts a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms. The day will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 67 degrees.
Pennsylvania is in for some heavy weather over the weekend, with heavy rains, showers and possible thunderstorms Friday and Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
In New York City, where a large No Kings protest is planned from 2 p.m to 4 p.m., showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. are forecast, with a 70% chance of precipitation.
Parts of Texas and Oklahoma are anticipated to get "heavy to excessive" rainfall into Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
There is a high likelihood of rainfall totals as high as 4 inches through Friday, with some areas seeing possibly as much rain as 6 inches, the NWS said. Widespread showers and thunderstorms are possible across much of the southern Plains, with a particular focus across central and eastern Texas, the ArkLaTex region and western Louisiana.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Army parade and 'No Kings' protests face rainy Saturday forecast
