Steelers-Browns preview: A cold, rainy night awaits hearty fans for Thursday Night Football

CLEVELAND – Fans attending the AFC North rivalry game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns will be subject to gusty winds, rainfall, and chilly temperatures when the teams face off at Huntington Bank Field on Thursday. 

According to the FOX Forecast Center, air temperatures along the lakefront are expected to be in the upper 30s to near 40 degrees, but with the combination of precipitation and wind, the “feels like” temperature will be in the 20s, if not colder.

A low-pressure system moving through the Great Lakes is producing the wintry weather but for those communities directly along the lakefront, the warm water temperatures in Lake Erie are expected to help moderate the coastline enough that snowfall will not likely be in the cards.

Water temperatures are in the mid-50s, which will help moderate areas around Huntington Bank Field, keeping frozen precipitation at bay for the 8:15 p.m. kickoff.

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The FOX Forecast Center is calling for a ‘medium’ ROWI or Risk of Weather Impact. A medium risk of weather means there is a chance of significant impacts, but the exact details and weather remain uncertain.

While the area around the stadium will see only rain, heavier snow accumulations are expected in elevated mountainous regions like the Appalachians and the Poconos. 

Millions from North Carolina to New York are under winter weather alerts ahead of what could be several inches of snowfall through the early weekend. 

Forecast models predict 5-12 inches of snow in the heavier accumulation zones, with possibly heavier amounts.

Cities along the I-95 corridor will face similar issues to communities along the lakes, as temperatures will be too warm for snow and precipitation will mostly fall in the form of rain.

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The early season snowfall is welcome news for those dealing with drought conditions, as the precipitation will help reduce deficits.

According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, 83% of the nation is usually dry, with nearly half facing drought conditions.

The FOX Forecast Center says not to expect the snowfall to last long, as temperatures during the Thanksgiving week will quickly rebound, melting away any early signs of winter. 

For the nearly 80 million traveling for the holiday, the week will start off quietly from coast to coast, but forecasters are monitoring the potential for inconvenient weather in the eastern part of the country during the second half of the week.