NFL weather guide

    NFL Weather Delays: How They Work and How Long They Last

    NFL games stop for lightning, not rain or snow. Once a strike is detected nearby, play is suspended until 30 minutes pass with no more strikes, and every new strike restarts the clock. Teams get a short warm-up before play resumes.

    The short answer

    What stops play

    Lightning near the stadium, or a storm that puts fans and players at risk.

    What doesn't

    Rain, snow, cold or wind on their own. The NFL plays through all of them.

    How long

    At least 30 minutes after the last nearby strike. There is no upper limit.

    Domes

    Indoor games are not stopped for outside weather. Open-roof stadiums can be.

    Why lightning and not a blizzard?

    Snow and heavy rain make a game sloppy, but they don't put anyone in danger. Lightning does. An open stadium holding tens of thousands of people, with tall metal light towers and exposed seats, is one of the worst places to be in a thunderstorm. That is why a game can keep going through a whiteout and still be stopped under what looks like a normal sky — lightning can strike miles ahead of the rain.

    Notable NFL weather delays

    Confirmed examples

    Weather stoppages are rare in the NFL — a handful of games across recent decades, almost all of them caused by lightning in early-season or Florida games. We are compiling the full list game by game from official play-by-play records and will add it here with sourced start and end times.

    Sep 9, 2018
    7 hours total

    Titans at Dolphins

    Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

    Two lightning delays. The game took about 7 hours from kickoff to finish, the longest in NFL history.

    Final: Dolphins 27, Titans 20
    Nov 10, 2013
    1h 53m delay

    Ravens at Bears

    Soldier Field, Chicago

    Severe storms stopped play for 1 hour 53 minutes and fans were moved off the open seats.

    Final: Bears 23, Ravens 20 (OT)
    Dec 3, 2023
    Halftime hold

    Cardinals at Steelers

    Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh

    Lightning held up the start of the second half.

    Final: Cardinals 24, Steelers 10

    What a delay means for your bets

    A delay doesn't change any bet — the game simply picks up where it stopped. Problems only start if a game is suspended and not finished that day. Then each sportsbook's house rules decide what counts. Many US books treat a game as official for full-game bets once about 55 minutes have been played, and settle bets that were already decided, like first-half lines. Rules differ between books, so check yours.

    A long break can also change how a game plays: players cool down, the field gets wetter, and the storm that caused the delay often brings wind. Our NFL wind and totals study and field goal accuracy study show how much wind matters once play resumes.

    Check this week's games

    See the forecast for every open-air NFL stadium, including storm risk around kickoff, on the NFL weather page.

    Sources

    OverUnderWeather Research Desk

    Independent data analysis on public sports and weather records. Studies match historical game outcomes to archived game-window weather, apply pre-set sample and significance rules, and publish null results when that is what the data show. Editorial policy and corrections log.

    Frequently asked

    How long is an NFL weather delay?

    There is no fixed length. Play stays suspended until 30 minutes pass with no lightning nearby, and each new strike restarts that clock. Most delays last under an hour, but some have gone close to two hours, and the 2018 Titans–Dolphins game had two.

    Do NFL games stop for rain or snow?

    No. Rain, snow and wind do not stop an NFL game on their own. Games are halted for lightning and for severe storms that put people in the stadium at risk.

    Can an NFL game be cancelled because of weather?

    The league can postpone, move or resume a game later under its emergency rules. It is rare, and it usually happens before kickoff, for example when a hurricane or blizzard is forecast.

    What happens to my bet if an NFL game is delayed?

    A delay on its own does not void a bet; the game just resumes. If a game is suspended and not finished, each sportsbook's house rules decide what stands. Many US books require about 55 minutes of play for full-game bets to count, but check your own book's rules.