This is not just the time of year when playoff football gets intense. It is also when the weather reminds us that it is winter – unless you are in Florida, of course. And both championship games from this weekend’s conference can be affected as such. What’s in the forecast? Which game could be most affected? Will Lambeau really be as cold as everyone plays?
We have a Sunday weather forecast right here for you, with forecast details courtesy of The Weather Channel:
NFC Championship
Games: Packers vs. Buccaneers | Sunday, 3:05 pm ET
Location: Lambeau Field (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
Weather forecast: Cloudy with snow showers
Projected temperatures: 29 degrees (high), 22 degrees (low)
Chance of Snow: 50%
Winds: SSE 5-10 mph
What would the football playoff be like without a Packers home game in January? This is a typical Lambeau for you (cold and probably snowy), although on the mild side, relatively speaking. The forecasts project only an accumulation of less than an inch over the course of the day, so it’s not like the Green Bay grass is flooded. But the radar indicates a 40 to 50 percent chance at night. This could certainly put pressure on the passing game on both sides, but again, it is not necessarily fair to suggest that Aaron Rodgers has the advantage because of his history at Green Bay. Tom Brady, remember, has spent the first 20 seasons of his career playing in cold January games at Foxborough.
AFC Championship
Games: Bosses against bills | Sunday, 18:40 ET
Location: Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Missouri)
Weather forecast: Cloudy with showers
Projected temperatures: 45 degrees (high), 34 degrees (low)
Chance of rain: 40%
Winds: NNE 5-10 mph
The real question for Chiefs fans, of course, is whether Patrick Mahomes will be the one to throw the ball in this game. Either way, precipitation can play an important role. The wind shouldn’t be much of a problem, but the rain is very present, and if temperatures drop slightly below expectations, it is not out of the question that the rain will start to freeze. This is something to keep an eye on, considering that both Bills and Chiefs like to broadcast regularly. If the rain falls, Buffalo may end up asking Josh Allen to trust his large running skills more at certain points in Sunday’s event.