NFL Hall of Fame game: Mainly dry, muggy weather expected as Bears, Ravens square off

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather meteorologist

August 01, 2018, 2:25:08 PM EDT

The Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears will kick off the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week as they square off in Canton, Ohio, on Thursday night.

In a week filled with downpours in the eastern third of the country, the weather looks promising for the first preseason game of the 2018 NFL season.

The weather for Akron on Thursday and Thursday night looks pretty dry, as the area will be sandwiched between two different features—one over the Great Lakes and another in the mid-Atlantic, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun.

People attending the various festivities throughout the day can expect some sunshine with temperatures peaking in the lower 80s on Thursday afternoon.

However, it will feel quite steamy out with high humidity levels, which will result in AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures approaching 90 F.

“Humidity levels may be uncomfortable for some,” Rathbun said.

Temperatures will be right around 76 F at the scheduled game time of 8:00 p.m. EDT and are expected to fall into the lower 70s F by the end of the game.

While Rathbun cannot rule out a stray shower or thunderstorm during the afternoon hours, he expects dry weather to prevail throughout the duration of the Hall of Fame game.

Winds from the south-southwest at 4-8 mph will generally be a crosswind over Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and should not play a big factor in the game.

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On Saturday, ahead of the official enshrinement ceremony, people can anticipate another fairly dry, sunny day, but it will be much warmer for the various events around Canton.

High temperatures will be in the upper 80s to near 90 F, with AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures reaching the lower 90s F.

Fans should be sure to drink plenty of water, apply sunscreen and wear light-colored and loose-fitted clothing when heading out to The Canton Repository Grand Parade or Hall of Fame Fun Fest.

"The weather looks dry, but muggy for the enshrinement ceremony on Saturday night," Rathbun said.

Temperatures will fall from the lower 80s F at the start of the ceremony at 7:00 p.m. EDT to the upper 70s F by the end.

There is a small chance that a shower or thunderstorm could pop up during Saturday afternoon and linger into the early evening hours, but this potential is quite low at this point.

Anyone attending the festivities in Canton should be sure to download the AccuWeather app to keep up-to-date on the latest forecast.

The Class of 2018 consists of eight members that will be officially enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night—Bobby Beathard, Robert Brazile, Brian Dawkins, Jerry Kramer, Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Brian Urlacher.