ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – The sun was shining Monday on Highmark Stadium, where the green artificial turf was cleared of snow but the stands were still covered in a white blanket some five hours before the Bills host the Pittsburgh Steelers in the storm-delayed AFC wild-card playoff game.
The remnants of the lake-effect snow band that dumped more than 2 feet of snow on the Bills’ home in suburban Orchard Park moved north toward Buffalo, allowing for a large crew of shovelers — volunteers being paid $20 an hour — and a fleet of front-load tractors to clear the facility.
Kickoff was set for 4:30 p.m. for a game originally scheduled to be played at 1 p.m. Sunday, when the brunt of the storm was hitting the region, with much of it centered on Orchard Park. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in consultation with the NFL had postponed the game on Saturday, citing public safety concerns.
Shovel crews have been working on clearing the stadium seats, walkways and tunnels since Sunday, when snow fell at a rate of more than 2 inches (5 centimeters) per hour. Crews worked overnight, with the Bills making a plea for more volunteers early Monday.
Major roadways leading to the stadium were cleared, with 5-foot snowdrifts lining the roads after they were plowed. It was unclear whether crews would have enough time to clear the 70,000-seat stadium’s three decks in time for kickoff.
The National Weather Service forecast for Monday called for a chance of snow showers through the early afternoon, with a high of 18 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 8 Celsius). Temperatures were expected to dip to 14 (minus 10), with winds ranging from 8 to 16 mph (13-26 kph).
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