Washington D.C.'s annual Fourth of July parade was canceled Saturday due to dangerously high temperatures and an extreme heat warning. The decision was made late Friday night by event organizers, prioritizing the safety of participants, spectators, and staff.
The parade, a decades-old tradition drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees, was scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. However, forecasts predicted temperatures reaching 102 degrees Fahrenheit, with the heat index, which accounts for humidity, expected to range between 110 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit. The extreme weather alert issued by Mayor Muriel Bowser's office had been in effect from July 1 to July 5.
While the parade was called off, President Donald Trump's "Salute to America" event on the National Mall was still slated to proceed Saturday evening at 9:45 p.m. The weather warning for Washington D.C. was expected to remain in effect until 9 p.m. Saturday.