2012 Winter Classic Weather Update: Temperature Won't Be An Issue, But The Wind Might Be

Read More: New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers

The 2012 Winter Classic Alumni Game was pushed back due to poor ice conditions, thanks to the sun on the rink in Philadelphia. The game is being played at 3 p.m. ET now at Citizens Bank Park, the home of the Phillies. The high today is a not-so-cold 54 degrees, and it's a sunny day, so the poor ice conditions are expected to continue through the early afternoon.

The weather forecast for the 2012 Winter Classic Alumni game is a bit warmer than expected. Via Weather.com:

Dan Craig's refrigeration truck and his crew will be hard at work today to keep the ice in favorable conditions for the game.

The weather for the 2012 Winter Classic on Monday at 1 p.m. ET however will be a bit colder, and windy. Via Weather.com:

The game should definitely be cold enough for some favorable ice conditions, although the sunlight could still be an issue, however it looks to be windy with gusts up to 22 miles per hour.

The concerns for rain earlier in the week look to be all for nought, but if there are indeed wind gusts it could effect how some guys skate. I can't imagine skating into 20+ mile an hour wind gusts is easy, even for professionals. With the rink positioned from east to west, the teams will have to contend with the wind. They'll switch ends at the midway point of the third period in hopes of eliminating any competitive advantage.

For more on this year's Winter Classic, head over to SB Nation's Rangers blog Blueshirt Banter and Flyers blog Broad Street Hockey. For everything Winter Classic in the build-up to the game, head over to our NHL Winter Classic StoryStream.