Thanks to a botched Vikings field goal in the final seconds, the Seattle Seahawks managed to slip out of frigid Minnesota with a win last Sunday in the third-coldest NFL game ever. They’ll find warmer weather waiting for them as they travel to Charlotte this weekend, but they’ll have to play better if they want to beat a Panthers team that’s only lost one game on the season. Find out our latest weather forecasts for Charlotte and the other divisional round host cities below, and depend on the MORECAST app for the latest forecast updates as we get closer to game time.
Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots
Location: Foxborough, Massachusetts
Kickoff Time: 4:35 pm ET Saturday, January 16
Rain will be likely right up to kickoff in Foxborough, but showers should diminish as the game progresses. Temperatures will hover between 36-38°F so the threat for accumulating snow or ice is low, although a few wet snowflakes aren’t out of the realm of possibility. Winds will be out of the west to northwest at 10-15 mph, gusting to 20 mph at times. It’ll be far from perfect conditions for the fans but both teams are used to this kind of weather in the winter and won’t have to make major adjustments to their game plans, especially if the rain comes to an end and the field dries off a bit.
Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals
Location: Glendale, Arizona
Kickoff Time: 8:15 pm ET (6:15 pm MT) Saturday, January 16
The Cardinals play under a retractable dome so bad weather outside wouldn’t ever be an issue inside the stadium. However, the forecast for Saturday evening should make it an easy decision for officials to keep the dome wide open. Skies will be partly to mostly clear with light and variable winds and basically no chance for rain. Temperatures will start around 57-58°F, dropping to 52-53°F by the end of the game.
Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Kickoff Time: 1:05 pm ET Sunday, January 17
Despite some slightly chilly temperatures in the cards, fans at Bank of America Stadium should be rewarded with great football weather. Simply a jacket should suffice for the game, with only a slight chance of showers and otherwise partly cloudy skies. For the players, the kickoff temperature of around 45°F will be near perfect. Both quarterbacks prefer not to wear gloves, and so will not be impacted by temperature like we saw in Minnesota last weekend. A light breeze will continue through the afternoon, but nothing seasoned NFL kickers won’t be able to account for.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos
Location: Denver, Colorado
Kickoff Time: 4:40 pm ET (2:40 pm MT) Sunday, January 17
A typical January day in Denver will not faze either side, with both playoff-seasoned teams being no strangers to cool weather games. Game time temperatures around 40°F with partly cloudy skies will mean a good experience for fans and good weather for the players. Some scattered, light snow showers around Denver may occasionally bring a wintry feel to the game but overall weather shouldn’t be much of an influencing factor.