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This World Cup is going to be hot and, at times, stormy, with a sizeable chunk of its 104 games set to be played above 90F (32C).
Spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico, it is likely to be the warmest edition since the previous World Cup in North America, when the U.S. hosted it solo in 1994.
While extreme heat and humidity will affect how matches are played, thunderstorms could provide the greater logistical challenge.
Under the thunderstorm protocol in place, a match must be suspended if lightning or electrical discharge is detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium involved.
Once that happens, a 30-minute countdown begins, but resets if another strike is detected before it ends. On June 22, the game between France and Iraq became the first World Cup game delayed by the storms, stopping for more than two hours.
To help understand which games will be most affected, The Athletic is working with Aaron Mentkowski, chief meteorologist at WKBW-TV Buffalo, to provide a daily forecast. Aaron will join live coverage to explain what’s happening during storm delays.
Argentina vs Egypt
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta. Kick-off: 12pm local time/ET, 5pm BST
An indoor match, so no weather issues on the pitch. It will be hot outside the stadium.
At 12pm local time, the match will start with an outside temperature of 85F (29C). When the game ends, it will be near 90F (32C). Winds will be out of the west at five to 10 miles per hour.
Switzerland vs Colombia
BC Place, Vancouver. Kick-off: 1pm local time, 4pm ET, 9pm BST
Another indoor match, so the weather will be ideal for the players. Outside, it will be a pleasant day. At 1pm, the temperature will be 72F (22C), with mostly sunny skies, and winds out of the southeast at five to 10 miles per hour. By 3pm, the temperature will have risen slightly to 73F (23C).
