The New England Patriots are hosting the Houston Texans on Jan. 18 in a 2025 NFL playoff game that will decide who plays the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game.
The Patriots and Texans will need to battle the elements as each looks to get one step closer to Super Bowl 60. Snow is in the forecast for New England, and a few inches could end up accumulating throughout the day.
Such weather could have a major impact on both offenses. C.J. Stroud and Drake Maye are both young quarterbacks who don’t have extensive history playing in snowy weather.
How will the weather impact the playoff game between the Patriots and Texans? Here’s a look at the forecast and latest weather updates from Foxborough as the NFL’s divisional round continues.
Patriots vs. Texans weather updates
Snow is starting to fall again ahead of the Patriots vs. Texans game, which is set to kick off at 3 p.m. ET, after a brief, pregame lull. Some light flakes could be seen coming down in a video shared by the Texans to social media, which showed quarterback C.J. Stroud approaching Houston fans who had made the trip up for the game.
Meanwhile, the Patriots earlier shared video of Drake Maye warming up that showed little to no precipitation falling. Still, gray skies above the stadium highlighted the oncoming threat of snow.
A light snow fell in Foxborough in the morning ahead of the Patriots vs. Texans game. It wasn’t yet sticking to the ground, but heavier flurries are expected later in the day.
The snow had stopped as of 1 p.m. ET, as The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin noted. However, Volin reported it was still ‘a wet, cold day’ at Gillette Stadium in the hours leading up to kickoff.
And snow is still expected to be a factor during the Patriots vs. Texans game. It’s just a question of how much will fall during the game.
As of Jan. 17, Foxborough – the location of Gillette Stadium, the home of the Patriots – is expected to get 3-6 inches of snow. Terry Eliasen of WBZ, Boston’s local CBS affiliate, notes the ‘steadiest’ snow will fall from ‘late afternoon through about midnight.’
On Jan. 18, NFL Network’s Jane Slater further clarified that ‘steady’ snow is expected to start falling at 4 p.m. ET.
Foxborough weather forecast for Patriots vs. Texans playoff game
Snow is going to fall in Foxborough on Sunday and the expectation is it will fall during the Patriots vs. Texans game, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Below is a full look at the details of the updated weather forecast around Gillette Stadium for Jan. 18:
High temperature: 36 degrees
Low temperature: 26 degrees
Chance of precipitation: 90%
Wind: 5-7 mph
The NWS also announced there will be a ‘Winter Weather Advisory’ in effect from 7 a.m. ET on Jan. 18 to 7 a.m. ET the following day. The expectation is there will be ‘total snow accumulations between 3 to 5 inches’ throughout the period.
When will most of the snow fall? Daytime estimates have listed possible ‘new snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches,’ but that forecast could change as the storm develops.
Either way, flurries should fall at some point during Sunday’s Patriots vs. Texans game, which is set to begin at 3 p.m. ET. That could make for slick conditions and will make it a challenge for both teams to grip and throw the ball.