The Dolphins – accustomed to Miami's balmy beaches – will likely be hit by a blast of arctic wind when they visit the Chiefs in Kansas City this weekend.
On Thursday, the National Weather Service (NWS) and AccuWeather recorded a low of about -8 degrees on Saturday night. Tom Kines, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, said the chilly wind could make temperatures feel like they are between -20 and -30 degrees. If the ice-cold prediction comes true, the matchup could be one of the coldest games in NFL history.
“It’s going to be brutal,” Kines said. “As far as temperature goes, I don’t think it’s going to get much worse.”
The contest isn't the only wild card game that could be affected by severe weather. The Bills host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, when snow and strong winds are forecast in the Buffalo area.
Here's a look at how else this weekend's wildcard roster could play out:
Dolphins Chiefs in Kansas City
Saturday's kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. local time), about two hours after sunset. There's a slight chance of snow in the afternoon, then it gets colder from there.
The forecast is for maximum temperatures of 8 degrees during the day, falling to minus degrees at night. The overnight temperature could approach the record low of -10 degrees set in 1979 in Kansas City on Jan. 14, according to AccuWeather.
“This air mass coming into this central part of the country is coming directly from Canada,” Kines said. “Typically highs in Kansas City this time of year are around 40 degrees, lows are under 20 degrees, so we're talking daytime highs near zero and nighttime lows of minus 10 degrees.”
In terms of NFL records, the Ice Bowl – the 1967 championship game won by the Green Bay Packers against the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field – still ranks as the coldest, with a temperature of -13 degrees and a wind chill of -48 Game degree.
However, a game with negative results could set franchise records. The coldest game at Arrowhead Stadium was 0.5 degrees at kickoff (-19 degrees wind chill) in 1983 when Kansas City played the Denver Broncos. According to Fox 4 Kansas City, the Chiefs' coldest playoff game was 11 degrees in a 1996 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, meaning that record will likely be broken.
It will also likely be the coldest game for the Dolphins. A December 2008 win in Kansas City ranks as Miami's coldest game to date – 10 degrees at kickoff and a wind chill of -12 degrees.
How should fans prepare if they plan to attend? Kines recommended lots of layers, with hats, gloves, face coverings and multiple socks.
“Obviously people going to this game have to dress accordingly,” he said. “You have to cover your skin. At these temperatures, frostbite occurs fairly quickly.”
The Chiefs said warming stations will be placed around the stadium and fans will be allowed to bring blankets without zippers or compartments, as well as portable chargers and non-dry batteries to “power heated clothing.”
Steelers-Bills in Buffalo
Buffalo and Pittsburgh are familiar with cold conditions, but snow could impact travel for fans. The forecast for Sunday's game at 1 p.m. ET in Orchard Park, NY is expected to be in the 20s. The National Weather Service issued a “winter storm warning” for the region over the weekend.
“There is no doubt that there will be a band of lake-effect snow,” Kines said. “It just depends on whether it’s above the stadium or just to the south.”
Even if the band of snow doesn't fall directly over Highmark Stadium on Sunday, Kines said there could be a foot of snow in the area Saturday night that would need to be removed before the game begins. Additionally, fans attending the game may continue to find it difficult to travel.
“If you get into these snow bands, visibility is zero and the snow accumulates a few inches in an hour, travel becomes extremely difficult, dangerous, if not impossible, so there will be problems in Western New York,” says Kines said.
The Bills have postponed their games due to snow in the past, and Saturday's weather could require a contingency plan.
Weather for other wildcard games
The three other wild card weekend games will be played in domed stadiums, so weather shouldn't be a big factor.
The Houston Texans host the Cleveland Browns on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium, with sunshine in the forecast.
On Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys host the Green Bay Packers at 4:30 p.m. ET. While it will be cold by Texas standards (in the 20s), AT&T Stadium's roof should keep out any freezing rain.
The same goes for the forecasted low temperatures (around 7 degrees) when the Lions host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night (8 p.m. ET) at Ford Field in Detroit.
To round out the wild card list, the Philadelphia Eagles travel to Tampa Bay to play the Buccaneers on Monday at 8 p.m. ET. According to Thursday's NWS forecast, Raymond James Stadium could experience wet weather, with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the area.
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(Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)