The Week 10 opener between the Falcons and Panthers is expected to be a wet one. Weather is set to impact this matchup between these NFC South rivals as the remnants of hurricane Nicole move through the Carolinas. Specifically, wind and rain are the forecasted hurdles that these teams will need to deal with on Thursday.
WCNC Charlotte is forecasting winds to get higher as the game progresses and is expected to run between 15-25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. As it specifically relates to the wind, The Reed Apartment tower has impacted how winds flow into Bank of America Stadium and has caused more in-stadium wind swirling than before it was erected.
As the #Charlotte skyline has changed it has changed how wind affects @BofAstadium. The Reed Apartment tower is exactly Northeast of the stadium & causes turbulent flow with a strong northeast winds. More swirling than prior to it being built. pic.twitter.com/rVLVyhAoR6
— Brad Panovich (@wxbrad) November 10, 2022
As for the rain, there will be waves of heavy downpours. The first outer bands of the storm are expected to arrive between 5 and 8 p.m. local time and then the heavier rain should move in by 10 p.m. local. As WCNC notes, there will be some breaks in between the bands, but the weather is very much expected to be a factor in this head-to-head.
Of course, this storm will particularly impact the passing and kicking game when considering the wind. So, that could create some interesting decisions from both Arthur Smith and Steve Wilks when it comes to possibly deciding to kick field goals or keeping the ball out of the air and going for it in critical situations.
For those keeping an eye on the total for this game, it has dipped considerably throughout the day as the forecast comes into a clearer view. On Tuesday night, the total stood at 44.5. By noontime, that dipped to 43 and currently sits at 41.5, dropping a full three points in less than 24 hours.
