MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Despite a rainy few days, all parades rolled through the city of Mobile this weekend. There is a potential for severe weather this week, but what goes into canceling a Mardi Gras parade?
The majority of the decisions to call off a parade due to severe weather are made the day of, and ultimately up to the Mobile Police Department.
The good times mostly roll through the streets of Mobile rain or shine.
The City of Mobile says they can make the decision to call off a parade to ensure public safety, and the only time they halt the good times from rolling due to the weather is when it’s severe, like lightning, flash flooding or a tornado warning in the area.
Mobile Police say due to the weather forecast for Thursday, parade organizers and the police department will be closely monitoring the weather conditions.
They say the safety of participants and the public is their primary concern.
WKRG is your home for Mardi Gras on the Gulf Coast. Here are some important Mardi Gras 2023 resources:
There is a make-up day for parades that get washed out, on Wednesday of this week.
The Mystic Stripers are scheduled to roll the day after, Thursday, when there is a potential severe weather threat.
Members of that society say their only option to roll if their parade gets called off is to piggyback behind another organization. They say they won’t know if they will roll or not until Thursday.
Full statement from Mobile police on the potential severe weather threat and the parade:
Due to the inclement weather forecasted for Thursday, the parade organizers and the police department will be closely monitoring the weather conditions. Ensuring the safety of participants and the public is our primary concern.
If severe weather, including flash flooding and lightning storms, is forecasted, the parade will be canceled. Updates and information will be communicated through our official channels.
If the weather conditions are favorable, the parade will go ahead as planned. However, in the unlikely event that the police department cancels the parade, the announcement will be made before the parade.
Mobile Police Department
