A strong cold front will reach Massachusetts just in time for the New England Patriots to host the Houston Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs Sunday, giving the Pats an additional home-field advantage.
Sunday’s game features a 3 p.m. kickoff at Gillette Stadium. Updated models from Wednesday afternoon show the potential for messy weather later in the game.
“I was curious when they would schedule the Pats,” FOX Weather meteorologist Ian Oliver said. “It looks like with the timing, some snow showers will move through Foxborough Saturday, and just over the past couple of model cycles today, there is the possibility of a more significant storm (Sunday evening).”
Sunday’s forecast shows a low of 24 degrees and a high of 35 degrees with the sun setting at 4:42 p.m.
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Oliver added that the more significant storm is showing for Sunday night into Monday.
“Snow showers are a possibility, but with this kind of pattern, the timing is messy,” Oliver said. “But the cold you can lock in.”
FOX Weather’s Risk of Weather Impact puts the game in the medium category due to the guaranteed cold temperatures and the potential snow showers.
“The question mark is the amount of snow showers and when they would arrive,” Oliver said. “Hopefully toward the backend of the game because all playoff classics feature that.”
According to Pro-Football Reference, domed teams are just 2-15 in sub-freezing temperatures during the postseason. That includes the Patriots’ win over the Chargers during the wild-card game last week.
The Texans have played just two outdoor games with freezing or sub-freezing temperatures this season. The first was a win against the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 12, and the second, notably, was last week’s wild-card matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“A dome team like the Texans coming north to Foxborough — the cold is an absolute lock,” Oliver said. “It has to be something that favors the Pats.”
