49ers vs. Cardinals: NFL weather not a problem for Mexico City

It’s looking as if the NFL weather for Week 11’s contest between the 49ers and Cardinals in Mexico City will be about as ideal as can be.

The San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals are going to be dealing with plenty of X-factors and variables they otherwise may not be used to for other regular-season games when it comes to both teams’ Week 11 tilt on Monday Night Football at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico.

For starters, it’s a venue few active NFL players are familiar with, and it’ll be anyone’s guess how the turf might respond to the rigors of an American football game (although one might note both the Niners and Cardinals once played there back in 2005).

There could be some language difficulties, too, but easily the biggest X-factor impacting both teams is the sheer elevation of the stadium itself.

Estadio Azteca sits at 7,200 feet above sea level. That’s nearly 2,000 feet higher than the highest NFL stadium in the United States, the Denver Broncos’ Empower Field at Mile High, sitting at 5,280 feet above sea level.

Needless to say, it’s probably smart that San Francisco is practicing this week a little south of Denver in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where head coach Kyle Shanahan’s team can better acclimate to well-above-sea-level conditions.

Still, one might expect both teams to be proverbially gassed by the game’s end, and both the 49ers and Cardinals will heavily rely on their depth and rotation to keep players fresh.

Probably some oxygen tanks on the sidelines, too.

49ers, Cardinals should experience good NFL weather in Mexico City

Neither team can do anything about the elevation, of course, but they certainly can hope for ideal weather at kickoff.

Fortunately, that X-factor doesn’t seem to be working against either team for Monday’s contest.

The current forecast calls for overcast skies, yes, but there’s only a four-percent chance of rain with the temperature at kickoff at a mild 61 degrees. Humidity is 60 percent, and there’ll be north-northwesterly winds of just two miles per hour.

Read More: 49ers vs. Cardinals: How to watch, stream Week 11 game in Mexico City

Considering there’s supposed to be a massive snowfall for the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills’ Week 11 game in Orchard Park, New York, both the Niners and Cardinals will happily accept their conditions while being south of the border.

San Francisco and Arizona kick off on Monday, Nov. 21 at 8:15 p.m. ET from Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico.