Forecast shows Chiefs-Browns contest could be warmest playoff game in KC since 2004
To quote Larry David, the weather for Sunday’s Chiefs-Browns AFC Divisional playoff should be pretty good.
In fact, it could be the warmest playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium in 17 years.
While the Chiefs have been successful in the postseason with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, they’ve won in extreme cold and/or snowy conditions. All four playoff games the previous two years have kicked off with temperatures at or below 32 degrees.
Going back to when the Chiefs played host to the Titans in a Wild Card game in 2018, it was a brisk 33 degrees. Ditto for the game against the Steelers in the AFC Divisional round on Jan. 15, 2017, which came after freezing rain during the day forced a nighttime kickoff.
A 2011 Wild Card Game against Baltimore was played under cloudy skies with temperatures below freezing.
The last time the Chiefs played a postseason game at Arrowhead Stadium when temperatures weren’t hovering around or well below the freezing mark was the no-punt game against the Colts in 2004 kicked off when it was 51 degrees.
That should change Sunday when the Cleveland Browns visit the Chiefs for an AFC Divisional game. Temperatures should be right about the average of 39 degrees. Here is what meteorologists were saying:
The best forecast comes from Weather.com, which is predicting “Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 44F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.”
Michelle Bogowith, Fox 4 meteorologist, said Tuesday the temperature at kickoff is expected to be 40 degrees with temperatures dropping to 33 degrees in the second half.
KCTV (Ch. 5) meteorologist Bill Hurrelbrink wrote: “Looking ahead to the Chiefs game, it looks like cloudy but dry skies with temperatures in the upper 30s for kickoff.”
On Tuesday morning, the forecast from meteorologist Lindsey Anderson of KSHB (Ch. 41) showed a high of 39 degrees on Sunday with a low of 26.
The National Weather Service forecast for Sunday is mostly sunny with a high near 41 and a low of 27.
KMBC (Ch. 9) has this forecast for Sunday: “Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 43F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.”
