Coming to Green Bay for Packers playoff game Sunday? Here's what the forecast says

GREEN BAY - Game Week is here, folks.

For the first time in three years, the Green Bay Packers will make a playoff appearance and host a home postseason game. They're set to host the Seattle Seahawks at 5:40 p.m. Sunday.

Given that it's January in Wisconsin, a chance to advance to the NFC championship won't be the only concern for fans and players at Lambeau Field: They'll have to plan for, and contend with, the weather.

UPDATE: Less snow than expected across central, eastern Wisconsin ahead of Packers playoff game

UPDATE: Packers seek fewer shovelers to clear Lambeau Field after less snow forecast

So, it's early and subject to change, but here's what the weather forecast looks like for the weekend:

For folks driving in Saturday, there might be snow and rain along the way in Chicago and Milwaukee in the afternoon and evening. A storm system will be making its way south of Green Bay, so people heading north should drive carefully. 

Sunday is shaping up to be quite seasonal, with expected temperatures this time of year around 25. The high Sunday evening will be in the high 20s. There's a 30% chance of snow showers for the day, but that could change by the time the weekend arrives.

"Being a week away, you have to take the forecast with a grain of salt," said Richard Mamrosh, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Ashwaubenon.

The playoff game will be Green Bay's first game outdoors since the Dec. 15 home game against the Chicago Bears, but the Packers have a lot of experience playing postseason football in freezing temperatures.

(Let's stipulate that nothing really compares with the Ice Bowl, which was their coldest home game on record. It was minus-13 degrees in 1967 when the Packers beat the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 on Dec. 31.)

The second coldest game at Lambeau was Jan. 20, 2008, when Green Bay lost to the New York Giants in the NFC championship game, 23-20. It was minus-1 at game time.

In their last home playoff game, a wildcard win over the Giants on Jan. 8, 2017, the temperature was 14 degrees for a 4:40 p.m. start.

The last time the Packers played the Seahawks in a postseason game in Green Bay, Lambeau Field turned into a snow globe as about 2 inches fell during the game, which the Packers won 42-20 on Jan. 12, 2008.

Long-range forecasts can change, but right now it's not looking too bad for mid-January.

"Confidence of the forecast this far out is low to moderate, but right now there's decent weather for the game," Mamrosh said.

Contact Benita Mathew at (920) 309-3428 or bmathew@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @benita_mathew.