Playing football any time of the year is grueling work, but add in August heat and humidity, and you have the potential for a very rough time.

On Thursday, the Patriots will host the New Orleans Saints in their first preseason game of the season; even by Louisiana standards, it’s going to be a hot and humid evening.

Temperatures will be 10 to 15 degrees warmer here on Thursday than they will be in New Orleans. That region of the country will be cloudy (and, of course, very humid) along with lots of tropical downpours.

While there’s no chance of rain in Foxborough Thursday, heavy rain is expected in the Saints hometown. —NOAA

Here in southern New England, a few showers on Wednesday will lead into very hot and humid air on Thursday and Friday. This pattern is thanks to a Bermuda high pressure system located off the coast; said pattern will pump hot and humid air northward.

It will bring New Englanders one of the more uncomfortable days of the entire summer.

A Bermuda high pressure system will pump hot and humid air into the Northeast. —Tropical Tidbits/Dave Epstein Analysis

Bring lots of water to the pregame.


Tailgating is a favored pastime for any NFL fanbase, and Pats Nation is no exception. Unfortunately, Thursday’s tailgate will be a sticky one.

Temperatures will be in the mid-90s for most of the afternoon. Dew points, a measure of the humidity in the air, will be reaching the 70s—this is in the “oppressive” range. When you combine this heat and humidity, it’s going to feel over 100 degrees in the parking lots of the stadium. Now add in a blazing August sun, and you’ll understand why I am forecasting a very uncomfortable afternoon.

Temperatures will be near 90—even at kickoff—on Thursday. —Dave Epstein

This kind of heat can be problematic. Temperatures will be nearing heat advisory levels (temperatures which feel over 100 degrees). If you’re consuming alcohol, this exacerbates the heat’s effects. Drink lots of water and bring a tent—or other cover—to get out of the sun when possible.

Kickoff keeps in the heat in place.

By 7:30 in the evening temperatures will have fallen a few degrees from the highs a few hours earlier. However, it’s still going to feel over 90 degrees during the first quarter of the game. As the evening progresses, temperatures will fall through the 80s towards the upper 70s. In spite of the fact that Gillette Stadium is open, its walls will keep some of the heat trapped.

Post-game is still tropical.


Walking back to your car, it will still feel tropical, but it’s not going to be the almost dangerous heat of earlier in the day. The clear skies and light winds late at night will make it an easy ride home, and you might even catch a few meteors if you look up before going to bed for the night.