Upstate NY Weather Forecast Predicts Chaos for Buffalo Bills’ Playoff Game

The weather forecast in Upstate New York is quickly becoming an issue.

Strong winds and rain are in the forecast for Saturday, and that precipitation is set to turn into lake effect snow on Sunday, according to a report from WGRZ. Lake effect snow east and then northeast of the lake could produce 12" or more of snow, which would wreak havoc on the Buffalo Bills' playoff game against Pittsburgh this weekend.

We have the latest updates on the tumultuous weather forecast, and what the NFL may do about it.

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Chaotic Weather Forecast in Buffalo; NFL Monitoring Game Situation

A report from The Athletic on Friday claims that the National Football League is currently monitoring the status of the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Wild Card game on Sunday, as the area braces for a major winter storm.

As noted in the article, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Friday in several Western New York counties due to the strong winds, freezing temperatures and lake-effect snow starting Saturday.

Unlike the situation in Kansas City, which features a wind-chill forecast well below zero degrees, the temperature in Upstate New York isn't the major issue. The temperate is expected to sit in the 20's on Sunday, which is child's play for most battle-tested Buffalo fans.

There are two major problems here: record-setting wind gusts, and roughly one foot of snow.

As mentioned above, the lake effect snow band will, for lack of a better term, dump snow on the Orchard Park area. Then, you have to factor in the wind, which will reportedly be gusting at up to 50 MPH on Sunday.

If you're a kicker in this game, or a punter, I wish you the best of luck.

So, as of now, nothing has changed in terms of the game's status. The game is still slated to kick-off at 1PM on Sunday at Highmark Stadium. The NFL is currently monitoring the situation, and will take action if it is deemed necessary.

What the criteria is for the league taking action, however, is something that we do not know.

The precedent has been set in past years for a game to be moved; last November, the Bills' game against the Browns was moved to Ford Field in Detroit when a devastating storm hit the Buffalo area. The league did the same thing in 2014 for a game between the Bills and the Jets, according to The Athletic.

So, I end with two pieces of advice: bundle up, and stay tuned.