The 49ers are walking into a winter wonderland.
A lake-effect storm warning is in effect for the Buffalo area through Monday night, with multiple feet of snow expected before the Bills host the 49ers on Sunday night at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Parkabout 10 miles south of downtown Buffalo.
Kickoff is set for 8:15 pm ET, and a snow band is forecast to pass through before hand before dipping south of Orchard Park, according to the National Weather Service.
“As the front goes through, the snowfall rate will be 1 to 2 inches per hour. “It’s got a pretty good snowfall rate with it as it moves south,” Aaron Reynolds of the National Weather Service told this news organization in a phone interview. “Once it moves south, the Orchard Park area should be free and clear, with decent snow showers around the area.
“But as far as heaviest lake-effect snow, it should be clear of the Orchard Park area.”
Temperatures Sunday are expected to reach as high as 31 and fall into the low 20s, with gusts as high as 24 mph before calming in the evening to 5 to 9 mph.
“There’s not much here we can prepare for,” wide receiver Deebo Samuel said Tuesday. “I see like 30 mph winds (forecast). We live in California with great weather all the year around, so you can’t kind of prepare for something like that. You have to deal with it when you get there.”
Running back Christian McCaffrey grew up in suburban Denver and has played in his share of snow games.
“When I was 7 we had a Super Bowl on the lower field at Regis Jesuit High School. It was a blizzard, and we beat the Cherry Creek Bruins, double overtime on a last-second play. And that was a blizzard,” McCaffrey said. “Then played in a bunch more, a couple of my state championships we were in in high school, in a blizzard. I’m familiar with the snow. It will be a fun atmosphere.”
The 49ers are flying into Buffalo on Friday night after their final, official practice; it’s unknown where they’ll hold their private Saturday walk-through.
The team is expected to stay in downtown Buffalo, which is expected to avoid the brunt of the snowstorm this weekend.