WeatherFanatics: Chilly Air on Tap for Five of Largest St Patrick's Day Parades

By Mark Leberfinger, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

March 13,2014; 5:28PM,EDT

It will soon be the time for wearing green and honoring the memory of Saint Patrick of Ireland. Millions of Irish and Irish-at-heart will gather for celebrations across the United States.
Here are five of the largest and oldest St. Patrick's Day celebrations across the country, picked with the aid of eventcrazy.
Parade-goers should have generally dry weather at the top five celebrations with the exception of a shower possibility in Savannah, Ga., and Scranton, Pa. Parade-goers may want to layer in green to stay warm with chilly and breezy conditions in store for some of the largest parades, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Meghan Evans said.

Yorktown Irish Pipes & Drums in Yorktown Heights, New York marching in the 2012 Saint Patrick's Day Parade in New York City. Courtesy of Yorktown Irish Pipes & Drums

New York City

New York City hosts the nation's oldest parade, with roots going back to 1762 before the nation's founding. The parade starts at 11 a.m. EDT on Monday, March 17. Up to 250,000 marchers participate each year before 1 million spectators.
There will be a mix of clouds and sun and a high in the mid-30s F in New York City on Monday. Parade-goers will want to dress in layers and bring a jacket along.

Boston

The South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade has been in existence since 1901, which was the 125th anniversary of the British evacuation of Boston during the Revolutionary War. The parade, listed as the second largest in the U.S. in terms of spectators. The parade is viewed by up to 1 million people, in addition to those watching on television. Marchers step on at 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, March 16.
It will be breezy and colder under mostly sunny skies in Boston, with a high in the upper 30s F.

Women from the Sanford High School color guard, of Sanford, Maine, twirl green flags while marching in a St. Patrick's Day Parade, in Boston's South Boston neighborhood, Sunday, March 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Savannah, Ga.

The 190th St. Patrick's Day Parade steps out at 10:15 a.m. EDT on Monday, March 17, 2014, in Georgia's oldest city. The Hibernian Society of Savannah held the first parade on March 17, 1813. Ahead of this year's parade, there will be a St. Patrick's Mass, also on Monday.
Mostly cloudy skies and a possible shower are in store for Monday with a high near 60 F.

Gaudy green revelers crammed the oak-shaded sidewalks of downtown Savannah for the St. Patrick's Day parade, Saturday, March, 16, 2013, in Savannah, Ga. (AP Photo/Stephen Morton)

Chicago

The dyeing of the Chicago River is always a highlight of the St. Patrick's Day Parade festivities. The parade is always held on a Saturday, with this year's parade at noon CDT on Saturday, March 15.
Partly sunny skies will greet parade-goers. The high will be in the low 40s F.

John Shepard and Gena Damento of Rochester Minn., take a photo of themselves kissing after the Chicago River was dyed green ahead of the St. Patrick's Day parade in Chicago, Saturday, March, 16, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Scranton, Pa.

Scranton, Pa., holds the second largest parade in the country as far as the number of participants go, according to the parade's website. This year's parade will kick off at 11:45 a.m. EDT on Saturday, March 15.
Following a morning shower, clouds will give way to some sun, with a high near 50 F.

Scranton, Pa., St. Patrick's Day parade-goers gather in green on Saturday, March 9, 2013. (Photo/Kristen Connolly)
Content contributed by AccuWeather Meteorologist Meghan Evans.

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