Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Report: Weather could change start time for alumni game

Winter Classic Hockey

Crews work in preparation for NHL hockey’s Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011, in Philadelphia. The New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers are scheduled to play on Jan. 2. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

AP

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sam Carchidi reports that the 2012 Winter Classic’s alumni game’s start time of 1 pm ET might be moved back a few hours because of weather issues. Previous Winter Classic weather-related worries swirled around too much wind and other problems, but the start time for today’s media skate was reportedly moved because “the sun and warm temperatures were causing havoc on the ice.”

It’s about 50 degrees in Philly right now and it’s expected to be around 51 tomorrow around 1 pm ET tomorrow, so that report does have some merit. Carchidi reports that the NHL would likely make an announcement tonight if it’s determined that a change must be made.

For those who are worried about the same happening for the 2012 Winter Classic, Carchidi reports that it’s expected to be cooler on Monday (and Weather.com’s current forecast seems to agree). Naturally, that could change - Tuesday’s forecast calls for wind and a significant drop in temperature, for example - but the big event doesn’t seem threatened at this point.

I will now step away from my imaginary green screen and hopefully put my meteorological blogging on a lengthy hiatus.