Rain On The Red Carpet: Grammys May See A Cold, Wet Storm Soak The Festivities

Blame it on the rain.

That’s the title of a track that helped win Milli Vanilli their (later revoked) Best New Artist Grammy in 1990. It may turn out the be the theme song for Grammy night 2024, as well.

According to the National Weather Service, a storm system is expected to reach Southern California on Saturday night into Sunday, beginning a “lengthy storm cycle” that could bring widespread rain totals of 2 to 4 inches in lower elevations, and possibly twice as much in south-facing mountains.

The 66th Grammy Awards will take place this Sunday beginning at 5 p.m. PT at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The red carpet starts much earlier. Expect umbrellas to be the night’s hottest accessory.

Of course, rain is not unheard of at red carpet events in Los Angeles. In 2023, the Oscars and the Golden Globes saw some precipitation. While event organizers had both red carpets tented, Globes goers endured flooding that made for what the Associated Press called a “soggy red carpet.”

Per the NWS, there will be rain on Thursday. Then “a second and likely much stronger storm will arrive Sunday with periods moderate to heavy rain through Tuesday and likely beyond.” That storm is also expected to be colder than its predecessor, with snow levels down to 3,000-4,000 feet.

Even if all goes well on the red carpet, it may be difficult getting there.

“Significant hydrologic issues are a strong possibility next week, including rock and mud slides in the mountains and flooding of small streams and rivers,” according to the NWS. “And based on the latest ensembles, some chances for flooding of the larger rivers and streams.”

In a city where a heavy mist can cause wrecks all across town, real rain could create significant traffic issues for Grammy attendees, both before the show and on the way to the afterparties.