Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports. Pictured: Members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers walk off the field as a heavy rain falls at Raymond James Stadium.
The 2021 NFL season kicks off on Thursday night with the Dallas Cowboys visiting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and of course the weather is already becoming an issue.
According to a tweet from the NFL Network’s Jane Slater, rain was falling at Raymond James Stadium as of 12:19 p.m. ET on Thursday, though Slater did mention that the wet weather should clear out by tonight’s 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff.
While there may be optimism from reporters on the ground in Tampa, Florida weather is notoriously unpredictable, so let’s take a look at the latest Cowboys vs. Buccaneers forecast to see the most likely conditions for tonight’s NFL opener.
_PromoID=[4777, 5408, 5441]
Cowboys vs. Buccaneers Weather Forecast
According to the National Weather Service, there is a 60% chance of rain throughout the day on Thursday, with thunderstorms also possible.
The chance of precipitation does drop to 30% around 8 p.m. ET, with showers still possible until 2 a.m. ET on Sunday.
Considering it’s raining now and may continue for the rest of the afternoon, and possibly into the evening, the chances are very good that, at the very least. players will be dealing with a wet field tonight at Raymond James Stadium.
Another weather factor that NFL bettors need to consider is the wind.
Steady 14 mph winds are expected throughout the afternoon in Tampa, with gusts touching 18 mph.
Just like the chance of rain, the winds are expected to diminish into the evening with 7-9 mph breezes blowing from end zone to end zone, according to Sports Insights’ NFL weather data.
At the time of writing the Bucs sit as 8.5-point favorites against the Cowboys, with tonight’s over/under at 51.5.
Be sure to visit our NFL Live Odds page often throughout the day for latest Buccaneers vs. Cowboys odds, including the potential effect weather could have on Thursday night’s total.