ORCHARD PARK, NY (WROC) — The Buffalo Bills are set to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs on Sunday, January 22 at 3 p.m. at Highmark Stadium. The weather, as usual in Orchard Park, may play a factor for both teams and fans alike.

TAILGATE

For those heading out before the game to tailgate, be sure to dress for the low 30s. A few breaks of sun are possible through this time, but clouds will be the dominant feature. No precipitation of any kind is expected during the tailgate.

KICK-OFF – 3 p.m.

Current thinking keeps snow to the south of Orchard Park at kick-off. Anything that does try to sneak ahead of the main arm of this system will have to contend with a lot of dry air which will stop much from making it to the ground. Winds will remain on the low end of the scale out of the southwest at 5-15 mph, and gusts will top out around 25 mph at the start of the game.

HALFTIME

By halftime, snow showers will begin to work into the stadium. Temperatures will be in the mid-30s just above freezing. This will not be warm enough to promote any mixing and anything falling should remain all snow. Accumulation at this point will be limited, though you may notice a dusting on the field going into the fourth quarter. Winds will pick up a touch more with gusts likely to get near 35 mph at times out of the south, and sustained winds at 5-15 mph. This will also drive wind chills into the 20s and teens at times.

FINAL WHISTLE/DRIVE HOME

Assuming the game comes to an end around 7-8 p.m., we’ll see some steadier light snow around this time with minimal accumulations on cars, the grass, and untreated roadways. Working in your favor will be the temperatures, which across much of Western New York will still be at or just below the freezing mark. This means that salt will be highly effective and as long as it is down the roads shouldn’t face to many issues, but still be cautious as slick spots will still be present. You should be able to make it home without issue across the major arteries as long as you budget for some extra time, and take it a little slower than if it were a sunny day!