Rose Parade organizers bracing for cold

LOS ANGELES – Rose Parade organizers are bracing to hit a new low Thursday – temperature-wise, that is.

Thanks to an icy storm blowing south from Canada, parade route campers may have to endure a cold never before experienced in the parade’s 125-year history, according to the National Weather Service.

The record low for the New Year’s Day parade in Pasadena is 32 degrees, set in 1952. But the cold blowing in overnight today is expected to shroud Southern California in freezing rain and snow to elevations as low as 2,000 feet.

The imminent storm even has health officials warning residents to exercise extra precaution.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued the warning for the San Gabriel, San Fernando, Antelope and Santa Clarita valleys as well as the Mount Wilson area.

“Children, the elderly and people with disabilities or special medical needs are especially vulnerable during such cold snaps. Extra precaution should be taken to ensure they don’t get too cold when they are outside,” Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, Los Angeles County’s interim health officer, said in a statement. The National Weather Service advised parade fans camping out along Colorado Boulevard to wear layers of clothing as temperatures are set to drop to 35 degrees throughout the region.