Wichita district cancels Veterans Day parade, citing cold weather and wind chills

The Wichita school district canceled its annual Veterans Day parade, scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, citing projected cold temperatures and wind chill.

District officials said Col. Robert Hester made the decision Friday in conjunction with parade sponsor Spirit AeroSystems. It’s the first time in the parade’s history that it has been canceled.

National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Darmofal said the weather in Wichita would be partly cloudy and cold Saturday morning, with wind chills in the single digits. The high temperature is expected to be 43, he said.

“This is a record for cold temperature for the parade, which creates too much of a potential for personal injury,” Hester said.

“The Veterans Day Parade is the most important parade in Wichita, but the risks of conducting it outweigh the benefits. It is a difficult decision, but the right one.”

Darmofal said Wichita could see a chance of rain or snow on Sunday, with a high of 40. Late Sunday night into early Monday, the city could see a light dusting of up to an inch of snow, he said.

This story was originally published November 9, 2018 at 3:14 PM.