Playoff football up in Buffalo usually means we have a chance that adverse weather will play a role in the game. That is no different this week, as snow and wind are set to potentially cause havoc for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, and the NFL in general.
Let’s take a look at the current Buffalo forecast and what it could mean for the playoff game between the Steelers and Bills on Sunday of Wild Card Weekend.
Editor’s Note: The game between the Steelers and Bills has been postponed to Monday at 4:30 p.m. ET due to adverse weather.
What Is the Buffalo Weather Forecast for the Steelers vs. Bills Game?
- Temperature: Mid-20s
- Precipitation: >75% chance of snow throughout the game
- Wind: 25 mph sustained westerly winds with gusts up to 45 mph
The weather forecast is from the National Weather Service and correct as of 3:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, Jan. 11.
The current weather forecast for the game itself is for snow and winds throughout, as a Lake Effect weather pattern hits the area around Buffalo, New York. Not only is there currently a forecast for snow to be falling, but that looks set to be accompanied by high winds and low temperatures. It won’t be as cold as the projected weather in Kansas City for the Chiefs’ game against the Miami Dolphins, but it will be below freezing.
The bigger concern for the Buffalo authorities and the NFL is that the bad weather is due to hit the Western New York area early on Saturday morning. There is expected to be sustained snow and winds as high as 60 mph during the day Saturday and through the night. Early predictions are for at least 6-12 inches of snow to fall between Saturday and Sunday.
Due to those conditions, there is a chance that New York will declare a state of emergency, which would stretch resources ahead of the game at Highmark Stadium.
There have been some reports of the Cleveland Browns being told to be prepared to host the game between the Steelers and Bills if the weather becomes an issue.
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However, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, the Steelers have not been informed of the game potentially being moved as of Thursday. Additional reports have also suggested that the game is not likely to be moved. At this point, it does not seem as though we will see the game change location, but there is a precedence for this situation in Buffalo.
There were similar concerns for a game in Buffalo in November 2022 when a Lake Effect snowstorm was set to hit the area. The NFL ultimately moved that game from Buffalo to Ford Field in Detroit, with the weather set to cause headaches from a travel perspective for the teams, fans, officials, and broadcasters.
The call to move the game on Nov. 20 was made on the Thursday ahead of a Sunday kickoff. Therefore, if the NFL were to end up moving this game, we could find out in the next 24-36 hours to give time for everyone to make arrangements.
For what it’s worth, the weather in Cleveland is expected to be around the low 20s with a wind chill below 10 and sustained winds in the 20-25 mph region. There is expected to be snow in the area, but it is expected to be less than an inch and to fall before the game kicks off.
Additionally, there are forecasts for gusts in Cleveland on Sunday, but they are also expected to fall away towards kickoff.
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