A severe and potentially game-altering weather alert has been issued ahead of the Chicago Bears’ NFC Divisional Round playoff matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
Brutal cold with temperatures plunging to -10°F and sustained winds of approximately 19 mph are forecast to create extremely challenging conditions Sunday at Soldier Field.
According to an early outlook from AccuWeather, daytime highs in Chicago are expected to struggle to reach -9°F, with the “feels-like” temperature hovering around -11°F.
Overnight lows are projected to drop to -10°F, with AccuWeather’s RealFeel dropping further to -14°F. (RELATED: Eastern Pacific Could Witness Never-Before-Seen Tropical Disturbance In January)
An additional 1.5 inches of snow is anticipated during the evening hours, adding another layer of difficulty for both teams.
Wind will play a major role throughout the contest, with daytime gusts reaching up to 17 mph, which could significantly affect passing accuracy, field-goal attempts and overall play execution.
Harsh winter weather has already been a defining theme of the Bears’ 2025-26 postseason run.
Sports Meteorologist for https://t.co/SfuDUmxTME, Kevin Roth, joins FOX Weather to discuss what fans can expect to see for the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, which could experience freezing temperatures in some locations.#NFL #Bears #Rams #winter #coldweather #FoxWeather pic.twitter.com/giEHSKs6Ma
— FOX Weather (@foxweather) January 14, 2026
A freezing warning was in effect during their Wild Card victory over the Green Bay Packers, a game in which Chicago staged a remarkable 25-point fourth-quarter comeback to secure a 31-27 win.
However, the Bears will be without key linebacker T.J. Edwards for the remainder of the playoffs after he suffered a season-ending ankle injury.
Head coach Ben Johnson has taken deliberate steps to prepare his team for the frigid conditions. According to ALLCITY’s Adam Hoge, Johnson forced Bears players to conduct practices this season without the use of heaters. (RELATED: Bryson DeChambeau Delivers One Hell Of Quote, Social Media Post Clearly Showing He’s Craving To Be Back In PGA)
Chicago safety Kevin Byard III acknowledged that many players were unhappy with the approach at the time, but he credited the tough acclimation for helping the team build the resilience needed to advance to the Divisional Round.
Sunday’s game is anticipated to rank among the coldest in NFL history, trailing the legendary 1967 “Ice Bowl” NFL Championship between the Packers and Dallas Cowboys, where temperatures hit -13°F and wind chills plummeted to -48°F.
Should conditions worsen and dip below that benchmark at Soldier Field, the Bears-Rams matchup could claim the spot in the record books as the most frigid game ever played over the iconic Ice Bowl title game.
