Final Patriots-Bills Forecast Offers (Slightly) Improved Gametime Weather

The New England Patriots will need to overcome the elements if they’re to beat the Bills and stay atop the AFC on Monday night.

However, a once-daunting Buffalo forecast has improved since early last week.

Temperatures are expected to be in the low-30s for the 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff with wind chill making it feel more like mid-to-high 20s, WGRZ-TV meteorologist Patrick Hammer reported Monday morning. Any precipitation — snow or otherwise — should move out of the area by halftime.

A wind advisory will be in effect until 10 p.m., as Highmark Stadium could see sustained winds around 30 mph and gusts approaching 50 mph.

Here’s Hammer’s full forecast:

This will be the first meeting between the Patriots and the Bills since last season when Buffalo swept New England. Monday night’s winner will hold the top spot in the AFC East standings.

Unsurprisingly, New England head coach Bill Belichick has shown little interest in the weather forecast ahead of the most important Patriots game in the post-Tom Brady era. Belichick did acknowledge that potentially high winds could impact kicker Nick Folk more than rookie quarterback Mac Jones.

“Buffalo’s always a challenging place to play,” Belichick said Friday, “because the wind will affect the kicking game more than it will affect the passing game.”