More than 1 million will pack Times Square in NYC tonight. How safe is it?

New York authorities assured tourists and residents planning to crowd into Time Square on Tuesday for the iconic New Year's Eve ball-drop that security measures have been taken to ensure the event remains safe.

New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said there "are no specific credible threats" to the Times Square New Year's Eve celebration. She noted, however, that the department "remains vigilant" as it has been operating in a "heightened threat environment" since Oct. 7, 2023 – the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

Tisch said there will be a "tremendous amount of police" resources deployed throughout Manhattan on Tuesday, including specialized units assigned to rooftops and hotels, bomb-sniffing dogs as well as helicopter and drone teams. Tisch, citing the close quarters environment synonymous with the event, said "pickpocket teams" will also be patrolling the crowds.

"As always, there will be plenty of security measures that you will not see," she said. "No one handles large-scale events like this better than the NYPD."

More than a million people are expected to attend the annual event in-person this year, Tisch said. Counterterrorism officers stationed at several access points will screen the attendees as they enter viewing areas. Once people arrive in Times Square, they will not be allowed to reenter, Tisch said.

"The full complement of our police personnel will be here, and pedestrian and vehicle closures will be in full effect," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Monday. "As we ramp up tomorrow's festivities, we will make sure each one of those who come here to visit and enjoy the ball drop will be safe."

Rain in the forecast – but no umbrellas allowed

Staggered street closures began at 4 a.m. Tuesday and will eventually close off a large section of the city, from 39th Street up to 57th Street, and from Fifth Avenue to Ninth Avenue. Viewing areas were open to the public at 3 p.m.

Tisch said no backpacks, large bags, coolers, chairs or alcohol will be allowed. Tisch also said umbrellas will not be permitted despite weather forecasts calling for showers and thunderstorms throughout Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

"We expect rain to move into midtown Manhattan sometime between 7 and 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve and continue until 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. that night," said Alex Duff, an AccuWeather meteorologist, in an online forecast. "The rain will be heavy at times, and people standing in Times Square will get soaked during the evening."

More: Here's your New Year's Eve weather forecast. And is the polar vortex on the way?

Times Square New Year's Eve celebration is in its 120th year

The tradition of thousands of people crowding to watch a shimmering ball be lowered in Times Square began in 1907, though the first New Year's Eve celebration in the iconic intersection began in 1904.

Over the decades, the event has grown in size and spectacle. An estimated 200,000 people gathered in Times Square the first year the event was introduced. This year, more than a million people are expected to watch the ball drop in person, and, across the globe, more than a billion will view the event on television, according to an estimate from the Times Square Alliance.

The first New Year's Eve ball, just 5 feet in diameter, was made of iron and wood and was covered with 25-watt light bulbs, according to the Times Square Alliance website. This year's Waterford Crystal ball is a geodesic sphere covered with 2,688 crystal triangles and measuring 12 feet in diameter.

More: Where to watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve: TV channels, streaming options, performers, more

Contributing: Saman Shafiq, Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop tonight: How safe is it?