After weeks of speculation that high winds could derail the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the NYPD finally gave Macy's officials the go ahead to fly the parade's iconic balloons,

Whether or not the balloons can soar at normal heights remains to be seen, but the announcement alleviates concerns that the towering balloons could be grounded for good.

The remnants of Winter Storm Boreas moved north into maritime Canada, sparkingin that threatened to spoil the balloons from taking to the skies for the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

"New York City could see sustained winds between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph," said weather.com meteorologist .

City rules dictate that the giant balloons that characterize the parade can't take flight if sustained winds exceed 23 mph, or gusts exceed 34 mph, according to

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High winds pose an obvious risk for the larger than life balloons —— their handlers, and the thousands of spectators lining the streets. In 1993, high winds blew a Sonic the Hedgehog balloon and a dinosaur balloon into lampposts, causing damage, . High winds during the 2005 edition of the parade sent the M&M's balloons careening out of control before they snagged a light post, injuring two.

But the most serious incident occurred in 1997, when 43 mph winds caused the Cat in the Hat balloon to careen into a lamppost, jarring loose a metal fragment that collided with a woman's head, resulting in life-threatening injuries, according to CBS2. That incident sparked the current city regulations.

Balloons have only been grounded once in the parade's 87-year history, when bad weather kept them from flying in 1971.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Vintage Thanksgiving Day Parade

November 1961: A Thanksgiving parade in New York. Floating above the majorettes is a giant inflatable Popeye. (Express Newspapers/Getty Images)