Bears vs. Packers weather updates: Freezing cold, snow in Chicago forecast for NFL playoff game

Teddy Ricketson

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Bears vs. Packers weather updates: Freezing cold, snow in Chicago forecast for NFL playoff game image

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The Chicago Bears will host the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round of the 2026 NFL playoffs. The Bears are in the market for a new stadium, but currently still play at Soldier Field in Chicago.

The Bears made the postseason after winning the NFC North. Chicago earned a top-four seed in the NFC, which guaranteed them home-field advantage for at least wild-card weekend. The issue with Soldier Field in the winter is that it is open-air and doesn't have a roof. The players will be subject to the elements, which could certainly pose challenges in Chicago in January. 

The forecast for the wild-card game on Saturday night looks cold. While it seems the players will avoid battling snow, the Bears and Packers will both have to deal with freezing temperatures and winds, something both franchises are used to. 

Here are the latest weather updates for the Bears and Packers Wild Card game in the 2026 NFL playoffs. 

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Bears vs. Packers weather updates

All times ET. Updates courtesy of AccuWeather.

8:04 p.m. -- Good news for the players. The snow has stopped and the field is clear at kickoff. It is 34 degrees, but feels like 20. The wind is sitting at 16 mph and is gusting at 23 mph. 

7:11 p.m. -- While it was expected to snow, it wasn't expected to accumulate. The wind is whipping the snow during pre-game and it is starting to cover the field with less than an hour to kickoff. 

6:53 p.m. -- It is snowing during pre-game warm-ups. While that will be tough for the players, the bigger thing to take from the clip below is how windy it is.

4:26 p.m. -- 

4:10 p.m. -- It is now projected to be 34 degrees at kickoff, with a RealFeel of 20 degrees. There is a 41% chance of precipitation, though it is not expected to accumulate. The wind may be a factor in the game with gusts up to 22 mph. 

3:16 p.m. -- There are about five hours to go until kickoff. It is 39 degrees at Soldier Field, with a Real Feel of 27 degrees. There is no more snow expected in the forecast today, but the temperature will drop throughout the day into the evening. 

1:36 p.m. -- It's going to be a cold one in Chicago as expected. The snow didn't accumulate much so that won't be a factor. With about six and a half hours to go before kickoff, it is currently 35 degrees with a RealFeel of 30. The wind is blowing at six mph and gusting at 13 mph. 

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Chicago forecast for Bears vs. Packers

  • High Temperature: 34
  • Low Temperature: 28
  • Chance of precipitation: 60%

Chicago is projected by AccuWeather to get a coating of snow up to an inch from Saturday morning into Sunday afternoon. This amount of snow is nothing for the area, but does just show that it will be cold enough for snowy conditions. 

The game doesn't kick off until 8 p.m. ET. The projected "real feel" for the game is 15 degrees with wind gusts up to 21 mph. Luckily, there is only a 1% chance of precipitation for the game itself, so the players will just have to battle the wind and the cold. 

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How cold is it in Chicago?

It is projected to be about 28 degrees at the time of kickoff. The real feel for the game is expected to be 15 degrees. 

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