NFL continues to 'monitor the weather' around Bills-Browns game as snowstorm approaches
BEREA, Ohio — The Browns game Sunday at Buffalo remains on as scheduled as of Thursday morning. However, all parties involved have been following closely the developments of a potentially historic mid-November snowstorm that's hitting Western New York.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email to the Beacon Journal the league will "continue to monitor the weather and stay in contact with the clubs." He had no further update on the status of the game, which is scheduled to kick off 1 p.m. Sunday at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.
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If the NFL were to move the game, the most likely site would be Detroit's Ford Field, which is where it moved a 2014 Bills-Jets game due to snow. The Bills are already scheduled to play the Lions on Thanksgiving in Detroit, which is why moving the game to Monday isn't an option.
Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field and Washington's FedExField have also been floated as potential sites.
The National Weather Service has issued a Lake Effect Snow Warning for southern Erie County, which is the location of Orchard Park. The warning, the most recent update on which came at 9:50 a.m., calls for "heavy lake effect snow. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 feet in the most persistent lake snows."
That warning for Orchard Park, which is 15 miles southeast of downtown Buffalo, remains in effect until 1 a.m. Saturday. However, it's one of two warnings for Erie County, which also includes the city of Buffalo.
The newest HRRR model run has 70 inches of snow falling in less than 24 hours just south of Buffalo, NY.
This is shaping up to be potentially one of the most extreme snowstorms in US history. pic.twitter.com/PDP0bA4pzc— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) November 17, 2022
The warning for the northern part of the county, including Buffalo, runs from Thursday evening at 7 until 1 p.m. Sunday. The warning calls for "2 to 4 feet in the most persistent lake snows," although there's even some talk of totals surpassing 6 feet.
The Browns and Bills have played in a snowstorm before. The Browns won 8-0 when the teams met Dec. 16, 2007, in Cleveland in blizzard-like conditions.
Contact Chris at ceasterling@theabeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Bills-Browns game faces snowstorm; NFL monitoring the weather
