What to Expect for Weather in Green Bay for the NFL Draft

Fans of the National Football League (NFL) are eagerly awaiting the annual draft, scheduled to begin this Thursday, April 24, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. While Green Bay is certainly known for its disruptive winter weather during the football season, will the big event this spring deliver better conditions? Here is a look at the forecast.

Expected Weather in Green Bay

Although the NFL Draft is held at a covered theater adjacent to the iconic Lambeau Field, that does not mean that the weather will not come into play for the event festivities. Thousands of fans are expected to gather in Green Bay for the popular NFL Draft Experience, held primarily outdoors.

Forecasters are warning that the weather could be an annoyance for part of the three-day draft and the surrounding events. The actual draft begins on Thursday at 8 pm ET. Visitors traveling to Green Bay on Wednesday will enjoy pleasant conditions for mid-April standards. Highs will reach the upper 60s with a mix of sun and clouds. The chance of rain will increase in the overnight hours, with lows settling in the upper 40s.

Thursday's forecast for Green Bay is calling for overcast skies with the chance of rain showers in the afternoon and evening hours. While the day is not expected to be a total washout, it is a good idea to pack rain gear along for the ride. Temperatures will top out in the upper 50s before falling into the mid 40s overnight. Breezy conditions will amplify the chill.

The second and third rounds of the draft are slated to begin at 7 pm ET on Friday. This is shaping up to be the wettest day during this stretch. Periodic rain showers could mar some of the outdoor festivities associated with the NFL Draft Experience. It will also be the chilliest day of the week, with a high of just 51 degrees and lows that land at the 40-degree mark. Winds will be out of the north-northeast at 10 to 20 mph.

The draft will wrap up on Saturday with rounds four through seven on tap. The schedule will be packed, beginning at noon ET and lasting for about seven hours. Saturday's forecast is showing improvement, with more sunshine and little to no chance of rain. The appearance of the sun will bring the temperatures up to about 58 degrees. It will remain breezy in Green Bay with winds out of the northeast at 10 to 20 mph. Dress warmly if you are heading out for one last night out on the town as lows are forecast to dip to about 42 degrees.

The players and staff running the draft will be protected from the elements by a large overhang across the stage. In addition, the NFL has a plan in place to account for the chance of strong winds or lightning. This plan leans on a central command center that is staffed by officials with the NFL, local law enforcement and fire crews, and the National Weather Service (NWS).

For instance, the nearby Resch Center and Resch Expo are on backup to serve as operational hubs and to host the media center and green room. These venues could also accommodate fans in the event of severe weather.

Past NFL Draft Weather Events

The NFL has moved its annual draft to different cities around the nation since 2015. This gives all fans the chance to participate at the local level and be a part of the fun. Mother Nature has been mostly cooperative. However, rain has presented some challenges over the years.

You only have to go back to 2021 to find the most recent time that heavy rain disrupted the fan festivities. Host city Cleveland measured over an inch and a half of rain on the first day of the draft, putting a damper on the fun outside.

The 2019 draft saw rain showers also soak fans gathered outside in Nashville during the first round. The year 2016 was also a bummer for the weather in Chicago. Fans hoping to celebrate in Grant Park were greeted with light rain and chilly temperatures.

What is harder to predict than the weather for the draft is how the actual picks will unfold. The Tennessee Titans are on the clock with the first pick of the 2025 draft. They will be followed up by the Cleveland Browns, the New York Giants, the New England Patriots, and the Jacksonville Jaguars rounding out the top five.

While things can change in the hours leading up to the big moment, most experts are aligned in their predictions that the Titans will take Cam Ward for their pick. The quarterback from the University of Miami is considered to be a lock at this slot.

Combo wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter out of the University of Colorado is being predicted to go to the Browns in the second round by most pundits. Other top players expected to go high in the first round include Abdul Carter from Penn State, Ashton Jeanty from Boise State, and Will Campbell from Louisiana State.

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