Everyone talks about SB weather; no one does anything about it

Our friends at Bodog.com have established an over-under of 34.5 degrees for the temperature at kickoff of Super Bowl XVLIII.

Hmm. I'm betting the over, because this much hype about cold weather can't help but mean the game will be played on an unusually warm February evening.

Speaking of weather, here is a news release AccuWeather sent on this subject:

AccuWeather.com meteorologists took a look at historical weather data for nearby Newark, N.J., over the past 44 years to determine possible playing conditions for the game at New Meadowlands Stadium.

While the exact date of the game has not been determined, no Super Bowl has ever taken place after Feb. 7, which sets a projected date of Feb. 2.

February weather conditions in the the Tri-State Area can vary tremendously, from warm weather to blizzards with extreme cold.

Snow on the East Coast in February is always a concern. However, over the past 44 years on Feb. 2, only 4 percent of the days had snowfall, with 1985 recording the highest amount of 3 inches.

Fourteen percent of the days had rainfall, with the highest amount of 0.89 of an inch recorded in 1999.

Although precipitation may not be a concern, wind may be a factor at game time. Of the past 44 years, 54 percent of the days were windy, or having a sustained wind speed of at least 15 mph. Wind speeds exceeding 20 mph could affect the passing game of either team.

As for temperature, the warmest high was 57 degrees in 1988 and 1973, while the coldest high was 16 degrees in 1971.

AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said the normal game time conditions would see a temperature in the 30s at kickoff with winds 10-20 mph, but it will be unlikely for the actual conditions to match the normal.

"You're playing averages," he said. "Only 20 percent of the years recorded a high temperature within 2 degrees of the average high of 41 degrees. Climate is a product of extremes."