Weather forecast for Bills-Steelers playoff game features near-record wind, inches of snow

Potentially record-low temperatures are coming to states throughout the country this weekend and it's right in time to affect multiple NFL playoff games during wild card weekend. That's especially true in the AFC, where Saturday's Kansas City Chiefs-Miami Dolphins wild card game could set records as one of the coldest NFL playoff games in history. Sunday's wild card game between the No. 2-seed Buffalo Bills (11-6) and the No. 7-seed Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) could see freezing temperatures as well.

This is the fourth playoff meeting between the two teams and the first to be played in Buffalo and, as a result, weather will be a factor. AccuWeather forecasts point to a high of 24 degrees on Sunday with winds gusting near 50 miles per hour.

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That would be some of the highest winds ever recorded in an NFL game. The 1982 AFC championship game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Diego Chargers featured subzero temperatures and wind gusts past 50 mph as well. More recently, the Bills lost 14-10 to the Patriots in December 2021 in a Monday Night Football game featuring winds gusting up to 55 mph.

On top of the wind, AccuWeather's forecasting more than seven inches of snow at Highmark Stadium Sunday. It'll likely be a tough day for both offenses. Things will be a bit better in Pittsburgh; Acrisure Stadium is forecasted for sun but sub-freezing temperatures and wind gusts up to 30 mph.

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What is the coldest Bills game ever?

Sunday would be the first snow game of the 2023-24 season for Buffalo. Last season, they lost 27-10 in the playoffs to the Cincinnati Bengals in frigid, snowing conditions.

The Bills' coldest game in franchise history is one of the coldest NFL games ever. Buffalo played the then-Los Angeles Raiders on Jan. 15, 1994, in the AFC playoffs with a zero-degree temperature at kickoff and a wind chill of minus-32. The Bills overcame a 17-13 deficit at halftime to win the AFC Divisional game 29-23 to make their fourth consecutive AFC Championship game.

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What is the coldest Steelers game ever?

The Steelers' Acrisure Stadium is more than three hours south of the Bills' Highmark Stadium. It's farther inland from Lake Erie and sees freezing temperatures less often.

The coldest game in Steelers history was Pittsburgh's 17-10 loss on the road to the Bengals on Dec. 10, 1977, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, with game time temperatures at two degrees.

Pittsburgh's coldest home game was a matchup against the New England Patriots on Dec. 17, 1989. The Steelers' Three Rivers Stadium registered temperatures at five degrees for the Steelers' 28-10 win over New England.