It seems MTV has already dropped the ball on its New Year's Eve festivities. New York City officials promise the snow will be cleared and the annual Times Square blowout will go on, but they turned down MTV's request to lower Jersey Shore star Snooki in a glass ball from the roof of the network's studio as the clock struck midnight.
MTV made the request too late, and it was "too impractical," Times Square Alliance spokeswoman Alice McGillion said.
The official crystal-encrusted Times Square ball will drop as scheduled.
"Our event is scheduled to go on," said Chris Heywood of NYC & Co., the city's tourism organization. "We're expecting dry weather and temperatures in the 40s."
Streets should be cleared for traffic and tourists by Friday, he said.
New York expects a big crowd. Hotels are 90% occupied, Haywood said, and the warmer weather should bring out more than the 1 million people who were there last year.
While usually frigid cities such as New York and Chicago expect higher temperatures this weekend — enough so for the snow to melt —Las Vegas may see record-breaking lows: a high of 39 degrees and a low of 29 degrees, according to The Weather Channel.
Revelers in other cities, including Dallas and Los Angeles, will also need warm jackets as temperatures dip into the 40s.
Some of the nation's biggest parties:
•Las Vegas Strip casinos will set off fireworks from their rooftops. Fremont Street downtown will have live bands and a light show.
•Atlanta's giant peach will drop down its 138-foot tower at the Atlanta Underground for the 22nd time.
•Chicagoans expect 50-degree temperatures for fireworks at Navy Pier.
•Los Angeles' Universal Studios will sponsor a free concert and fireworks show at Citywalk.
•Miami's giant orange will climb the side of the Hotel InterContinental, sparking the beginning of a fireworks display at Bayfront Park Amphitheater.
•Seattle will send fireworks sailing from the deck of the Space Needle.
•Boston will continue its family-oriented First Night tradition of alcohol-free entertainment downtown.
•Dallas' annual free event will feature fireworks and live bands in Victory Park.
