A polar vortex from Canada is bringing frigid temperatures, snow and rain to several NFL week 15 games. Conditions could range from single-digit chills in the Midwest to rainy woes in the Pacific Northwest. Teams will face mother nature alongside their opponents.
December football often involves tough elements, and NFL week 15 will see a full dose as a polar vortex descends from Canada, creating cold air across the Midwest and East Coast. AccuWeather meteorologist Bernie Rayno described it as "the mother lode of cold air and is a term I don't use lightly." Temperatures are expected to hover in the single digits in many areas, excluding wind chill.
In Chicago for Browns at Bears on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, highs will reach 11 degrees, feeling like 1 degree with wind gusts up to 22 mph. No snow is forecast for game day, but Friday flurries and Saturday snow are possible. This marks the coldest game for Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. Chicago leads the NFL in rushing success rate, while Cleveland ranks 31st.
Cincinnati hosts Ravens at 1 p.m. ET with highs of 12 degrees, feeling like 2 degrees and winds up to 17 mph. Significant snow is expected Friday and Saturday, tapering before kickoff. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is 2-0 in games at 20 degrees or lower kickoff, including a 375-yard, three-touchdown performance against the Patriots in 2022. Ravens' Lamar Jackson faces his coldest career game.
Kansas City sees Chargers at 1 p.m. ET with milder 23-degree highs and 10 mph winds. It's the Chargers' first freezing-or-below game since a 2019 playoff loss to the Patriots. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is 16-4 in 32-degree or colder games, 12-2 at home.
Foxborough hosts Bills at Patriots at 1 p.m. ET with 32 degrees feeling like 22, 1-3 inches of snow and 21 mph winds. Bills' Josh Allen excels in snow, ranking high since 2000 in touchdowns, rushing yards and scores.
Seattle's Colts at Seahawks at 4:25 p.m. ET faces 56-degree highs and 80% rain chance amid regional flooding. Colts play in rain for the second straight week after a loss to the Jaguars.
Monday's Dolphins at Steelers in Pittsburgh at 8:15 p.m. ET brings 22 degrees feeling like 12 with 18 mph winds and slight precipitation. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has struggled in sub-40-degree games, with negative turnover and point differentials.
The NFL proceeds despite the weather, testing teams' adaptability.
