CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The Carolina Panthers will kick off the 2026 regular season at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte this Sunday, and it will likely be quite steamy out.
A chance for some hit-or-miss thunderstorms around the Queen City on Friday will lead into more widespread showers and storms on Saturday. Fortunately for Panthers fans though, that wet weather is forecast to move out overnight Saturday into Sunday.
High heat and humidity will keep things feeling toasty Sunday afternoon.
“The storm chances are limited,” WBTV meteorologist Paul Heggen said in a Friday broadcast. “The temperatures though, around 90 [degrees] are going to feel more like the upper 90s. So be ready to sweat it out and make sure you’re staying hydrated.”
The temperature will be around 87 degrees at the 1 p.m. kickoff, and will climb a few more degrees by the game’s end.
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Heat could give Panthers advantage
Part of the home-field advantage in the NFL is that teams are generally comfortable playing in their city’s weather.
When it comes to Carolina, the early-season heat could potentially offer that advantage. The Panthers started practice in the late mornings or early afternoon each day this week, and dealt with the heat in doing so.
Temperatures were significantly hotter in Charlotte this week than Chicago, reaching 17 degrees hotter on Thursday, and 10 degrees on Wednesday. Friday’s high was forecast to get between 10-15 degrees warmer in Charlotte than Chicago.
All that said -- the Panthers may be better adjusted to the late-summer heat and humidity they will be faced with Sunday.
Sunday Panthers forecast
Sunday Panthers forecast(WBTV)