New York rings in the New Year with bright hopes

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Revelers from across the country descended on Times Square on Monday evening, ringing in the new year with raucous celebrations and hopes for a brighter 2019.

An estimated 2 million people came to the U.S.'s single largest celebration, braving cold weather and a continuous downpour for as much as half a day as they patiently waited for the annual iconic ball drop at midnight.

Snoop Dogg, Steve Harvey, Christina Aguilera and Sting were among those who marqueed the star-studded affair that spanned the five-block stretch between 7th Avenue and Broadway.

The New York Police Department stepped up precautionary security measures ahead of the big night. Police deployed massive amounts of personnel and bomb sniffing dogs to secure the site.

More than 200 massive "blocker" vehicles were also used to prevent cars from entering the area.

Celebrations further west are set to ring in the new year later with the last in the continental United States three hours behind New York. Hawaii will be the last to hit the midnight milestone, two hours behind the U.S. west coast.