
This week’s weather forecast has dropped so low that the Inauguration Ceremony for Donald Trump’s second term as President of the United States of America has officially been moved indoors on account of the cold, marking the first time the official ceremony will be held indoors in 40 years!
This week, which will have temperatures as low as 10°F, will go down in history for multiple reasons, not only for its impact on the planned inauguration ceremony for President-Elect Trump but also for the severity of the cold!
How cold will it get this week and why is it a big deal?
Well, as you might suspect for obvious reasons, the coldest temperatures of the day are not what you would generally encounter around the time the Inaugural ceremony takes place, rather it would be at night and during the earliest hours of the morning.
That being said, this is the exact reason why the cold poses a particularly dangerous threat for attendees of the event – it’s very common for Inauguration attendees, particularly those without reserved seating, to stand out in the open for hours to ensure they get a ‘good’ spot for the event.
According to some sources, there were people already lining up for the ceremony as early as 4 am on the 19th, which would mean they spent over 10 hours in sub-zero temperatures!
That being said, the weather report says it will be 24°F with winds up to 31 mph on Inauguration Day.
Can you still view the Inauguration Ceremony even though it’s been moved inside?
To the general public, no, the ceremony has been moved inside to be held at the Capitol Rotunda so capacity is very limited, it is now considered an invitation-only event reserved for officials, dignitaries, family members, and other special guests.
What other viewing options are there?
There have been arrangements made to set up public viewings for the ceremony at Capital One Arena, which is also where he plans to hold his ‘President Parade’ following his inaugural address at around 3:00 pm.
That being said, due to the expected crowd size, it’s recommended that you tune in to the event from a more comfortable (indoors and warm) location; you can watch the broadcast of the event live on any of the following outlets:
- YouTube TV
- Hulu + Live TV
- CBS News
- NBC News
- ABC News
- CNN (Requires a paid subscription)
- Fox News (Requires a paid subscription)
When was the last time the inauguration was held indoors?
The last inauguration to be held indoors was in 1985, exactly 40 years ago, for Ronald Reagan.
In this instance, it was also extreme cold that caused the ceremony to be moved indoors, as it was only 7°F outside when the ceremony was slated to take place.
This ceremony was also held inside the Capitol Rotunda, the same location President Trump opted to use today.
How will this impact road and metro closures?
The road and metro closures for the Inauguration ceremony will be largely unchanged with the noted addition of increased security around Capital One Arena for the viewing of the ceremony and then the ensuing ‘Presidential Parade’.