Super Bowl: Sunday's Game May Be Warmest In Super Bowl History
INGLEWOOD (CBSLA) - Unseasonably warm temperatures in the Los Angeles area might come as a surprise to Bengals fans arriving from Cincinnati where the highs are in the 20's.
Cincinnati Bengals fan Tyler Potter, however, was loving the weather.
"As you can see, I'm in short sleeves. It's very nice, sunny out, might hit the beach later today, who knows," he said.
Many residents in Inglewood Wednesday were just trying to stay cool.
"It's never like this. Like, they're saying right now this is the first Super Bowl that's ever been this hot," Inglewood resident William Allen said.
Allen, who was born and raised in Inglewood, said he's used to the low 70's this time of year.
"I do construction work. So for me, a day like this is not good to work outdoors. But otherwise, the weather is beautiful and I love it. So, today, I'm going to pay some bills and go home and relax now the rest of the day," he said.
According to experts, the looks of SoFi Stadium can be deceiving.
"I think we have to continue to look at SoFi as an outdoor venue," said Michael Rogers, HKS Architects Principal Designer.
With no walls, the large covering across the entire arena acts more like a gigantic awning than it does a traditional roof, and there's no air conditioning, other than in the suits, locker rooms and other enclosed spaces. The stadium itself relies on natural breezes to keep it cool.
"There will definitely be places where it may be a little warmer than you would like to be on a really, really hot day," Rogers said.
The unseasonably high temperatures could stretch into Sunday's big game at SoFi Stadium, potentially making it the warmest kick off in Super Bowl history.
Rogers, who was one of the design principals of the stadium, said the roof provides some shade, but the 16 massive operable panels are what can help alleviate the heat, even when it's not that breezy.
"They can turned to open partially or completely to vent out a lot of the trapped warm air that could occur on a warm day," he said. "They will also promote a chimney effect by pulling more air through the concourses."
If all goes according to plan, fans in the stands for the Super Bowl may be a little warm, but not uncomfortable, though the event will be a true test for the venue because the big game will be the the first time it'll be in use with such a large crowd under these extreme temperatures.
As for Bengals fan Tyler Potter, he doesn't think the heat will bother his team.
"Cincinnati fans definitely going to be here, ready for the heat, ready to go. Joe Burrow is going to light it up also."