A quick look at the long-range forecast thanks to www.weather.com shows some uncharacteristically warm weather headed to Pittsburgh this weekend for the NHL’s annual Winter Classic.
The warm front will begin on Thursday when temperatures rise to approximately 41 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the forecast, temperatures will peak on Saturday at 48 degrees with a 50 percent chance of rain. The average temperature in Pittsburgh on Januray 1 is roughly 30 degrees.
If the unseasonably warm weather and rain appear to be too much for the outdoor game on Saturday, there is good news on the horizon. Temperatures are expected to drop right back down to the freezing point at 32 degrees on Sunday with a 20 percent chance of precipitation. While the NHL is confident that their ice-making technology can handle the rising temperatures, Sunday could be a viable option for a make-up if Saturday’s weather doesn’t cooperate. However, that creates a new slew of conflicts in terms of TV coverage since NBC is set to carry the last weekend of the NFL’s regular season this weekend. Most likely the game will be played on Saturday, even if it has to be in not-so-perfect conditions. The NHL may also opt to postpone the game several hours in hopes that temperatures will drop when the sun goes down. If the temperature drops enough, it should essentially nullify the rain since the rain will freeze when it hits the ice.
The puck is scheduled to drop at 1 p.m. EST with NBC carrying national coverage for the game.
If you don’t have tickets for the event but were hoping to attend, make sure you have enough money left over from your holiday shopping as you’ll need to shell out a hefty amount to afford a second-hand ticket. According to StubHub.com, a second-hand ticket seller where fans can sell their tickets online for a price of their choosing, the cheapest seats are selling for $250 per ticket. The most expensive? One seller has tickets listed for $11, 765 per ticket in section 239 – which doesn’t even appear to be an ideal location. Most tickets in some of the closer sections are priced anywhere between $500 and $1,000 per ticket depending on the section.
