The Milpas Christmas Parade scheduled for Saturday has been canceled as planners keep a wary eye on the weather.

A 60 percent chance of showers is expected Saturday, with showers increasing into the evening.

Coordinators made a decision to cancel the parade Friday afternoon, according to Cynthia Estrella, who served as chairwoman of the planning committee behind the event.

More than 400 children were scheduled to appear in the parade, and Estrella said the high possibility of rain was too great to risk hundreds and thousands of participants getting soaked in the process.

The event will not be rescheduled to next weekend because too few police personnel will be on hand to help, Estrella said.

On Friday, the National Weather Service issued a flash-flood watch for the Gap, Tea, La Brea and Jesusita burn areas in Santa Barbara County. The watch was in effect until 2 p.m.

— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com.