The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cincinnati Bengals shouldn't have to worry much about rain when they open the 2026 season Sunday afternoon at Paycor Stadium. The bigger weather story could be the heat, with temperatures expected to climb throughout the game.
According to AccuWeather's hourly forecast, the temperature is expected to be 85 degrees at the 1 p.m. ET kickoff with a RealFeel of 96 degrees. Conditions are projected to be partly sunny with a 0% chance of rain, while winds will come from the southwest at 7 mph.
The temperature is expected to rise to 87 degrees by 2 p.m., with a RealFeel of 92 and a heat index of 91. The chance of rain increases slightly to 12 percent, while winds are expected to pick up considerably to 15 mph out of the west-southwest.
The warmest portion of the game could arrive around 3 p.m. AccuWeather projects a temperature of 89 degrees, a RealFeel of 93, and a heat index of 94. Winds are expected to remain at 15 mph while shifting westward, with the chance of rain holding at 12 percent.
Conditions should remain similar late in the game. The 4 p.m. forecast calls for 88 degrees with a RealFeel of 90 and a heat index of 92. The chance of rain increases to 16 percent, but conditions are still expected to be partly sunny, with winds from the west at 15 mph.
Rain doesn't appear likely to have much of an impact on Sunday's game, but the heat will be worth watching as the afternoon progresses. The RealFeel is expected to be 96 degrees at kickoff, while the actual temperature is projected to peak at 89 degrees during the second half.
The Bucs and Bengals are scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. ET Sunday at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Weather report: Bucs’ Week 1 matchup at Bengals
