All week, NFL fans have been aware of the possibility of high winds in Buffalo for a wild-card playoff game.
Now you can add a potential snowstorm.
The Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills game is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, and the National Weather Service issued an ominous report for Saturday and Sunday in Buffalo. NWS warned of “heavy lake effect snow bands with gusty winds” for the Buffalo area, and said “travel will be difficult to near impossible within snow bands.”
Heavy lake effect snow bands with gusty winds will occur east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Saturday through Sunday night. The snow bands will oscillate north to south, impacting the Buffalo and Watertown Metros. Travel will be difficult to near impossible within snow bands. pic.twitter.com/nwgMRaNH9P
— NWS Buffalo (@NWSBUFFALO) January 12, 2024
The NFL said Thursday “there have been no discussions about making a change to the game’s status,” via WGRZ.
The snowfall is expected to be bad enough that the Bills put out a call for volunteer snow shovelers later Friday, offering $20 per hour to make Highmark Stadium hospitable in time for the game on Sunday.
It’s not like Buffalo is unfamiliar with bad weather games. There is often snow for Bills home games late in the season. The combination of snow and wind, however, could make the game very difficult to manage for the Steelers and the Bills.
Perhaps the snow will not be as heavy in Orchard Park, where the Bills’ stadium is located. But it seems likely that weather will be a big part of the story for the Bills’ first home playoff game this postseason.