San Francisco

Partygoers Experience Cold New Year's Eve in San Francisco

Thousands of people rang in the new year in San Francisco along the Embarcadero Wednesday night, many of them wearing heavy jackets and scarves.

Although the countdown was on to 2015, 2014 went out as a very cold night.

"We’re going to bring our blankets out," Mexico resident Carlos Adame said. "It's really cold. It's a little bit cold. We’re not used to it."

Adame said he planned to watch fireworks along the Embarcadero with thousands of others.

The fireworks display was close to some restaurants.

"We’ve got some extra heaters coming in to make sure that all areas are sufficiently at comfortable temperature," said Pete Sittnick, who is a managing partner of the Epic Roast House and Waterbar restaurant.

At Sittnick's restaurant, strong winds toppled a few plants Tuesday night. They were calmer Wednesday, and the restaurant is prepared for a busy New Year's Eve.

"We open up reservations 30 days in advance, so on December 1," Sittnick said. "We were about at 50 percent capacity within the first day, and we’ve been relatively booked since a week ago."

A spokesman for Pyrospectaculars by Souza, one of the largest designers and producers of fireworks displays in the United States, said he expected the weather to cooperate.

"There is four-to-5,000 devices that are going to be fired in a 15-minute period of time," Jeff Thomas said.

"The heavy winds are supposed to subside this afternoon, and we don’t shoot til tonight at midnight," Thomas said. "So, my understanding is there could be a breeze, windy, a normal wind for the Bay Area, and that’s no problem for us."

Barricades were up and San Francisco police had extra officers, as the city rang in the new year.

"The fireworks show along the Embarcadero is a family event," San Francisco police spokesman Gordon Shyy said. "It's no alcohol. We’re asking people not to bring alcohol. If they do, they will be asked to pour it out, dispose it, and possibly be cited."

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