Fans heading to the Bills game should brace for frigid conditions — highs near 29°, wind gusts up to 14 mph and light afternoon snow. With wind chill, it’ll feel closer to 20°.
Weather could sway Bills vs Bengals odds
Here’s the latest weather forecast for Bills vs Bengals at Highmark Stadium.
The Buffalo Bills will face a resurgent Cincinnati Bengals squad when they return to the comfortable confines of Highmark Stadium on Sunday afternoon Dec. 7, with a chance of some snow in the forecast.
Winter has arrived in full force in the Buffalo area, with already a foot of snow for the season falling by Dec. 3. The flakes in the air will mean Bills Mafia will need to bundle up at the tailgate, but conditions should favor the league’s best rushing attack.
Orchard Park weather for Bengals vs Bills game
The National Weather Service in Buffalo predicts snow in the forecast for Orchard Park after 1 p.m., the same time as kickoff after the game was moved from the later afternoon slot. The chance of precipitation is high — 80% — while the forecast calls for cloudy skies, a high near the freezing mark and calm wind from the southeast.
The AccuWeather forecast is less bullish, with temperatures expected to peak at just 29 degrees, afternoon snowfall of just under an inch and wind gusts up to 14 mph. The temperature is expected to feel even colder than the air at just 20 degrees.
How Bengals vs Bills weather will impact odds, betting
Cold weather can impact the outcome of football games, with an analysis by The Athletic noting passing production dipped by 14.5% when temperatures are below 35 degrees with precipitation compared to warmer weather. Light snow has only a negligible impact on passing, but has a more significant impact on kicking, with shorter attempts and just a 76% conversion rate, according to Covers.
The Bills will see their first orange-level impacts on playing conditions from RotoGrinders, with the frigid temperatures and chance of precipitation expected to impact the outcome of the game.
Buffalo is favored by 5.5 points in the matchup despite the return of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who helped Cincy trounce the Ravens last week, 32-14. Despite the potentially sloppy weather, the over/under is set at 53.5 points.
The Bills and Bengals are tied, 17-17, in their all-time series, though the Bengals have won the last two matchups, including a divisional playoff game in January 2023 and a regular season home game in October 2023. The Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals will play at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7 at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. The game will be broadcast on FOX affiliates, including WUHF channel 31 in Rochester. Joe Davis and Greg Olsen will call the game with sideline reporter Pam Oliver. 
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— Steve Howe reports on weather, climate and the Great Lakes for the Democrat and Chronicle. An RIT graduate, he has covered myriad topics over the years, including public safety, local government, national politics and economic development in New York and Utah.