Bad weather guide to tailgating at CenturyLink Field

In Washington State we have a saying “if you don't like the weather just wait 5 minute and it will change”. During the Fall and Winter months that say can be very literal with conditions going from sunny to snowy in the blink of an eye. You might wake up to a clear sky, get soaking wet walking to your car 5 minutes later and have your windows covered in snow a block down the road. By the time you final arrive at Century-Link Field the weather has gone through three more changes making you reconsider your tailgating plans. Luckily there are a few precaution that you can take that will let you keep your tailgating plans in our ever-changing weather.

Check and get constant updates of the days forecast

Before you leave to go to Century-Link for tailgating you should check the forecast. You should also get updates to the forecast because you can not count on that forecast to stay the same from the time you leave to the time you get to the stadium.

Dress for all possibilities

You will be outdoors tailgating for 1 to 2 hours so you should be prepared for a few changes in the weather. It is always a good idea to have an extra layer of clothes, preferably in Seahawks colors, that you can put on if/when the weather turns bad. A good thick jacket, preferably waterproof, is always a good idea to have within reach. If it is late in the regular season, or the playoffs, a pair of gloves, some hand warmers and foot warmers might be something you consider putting in your gloebox.

Keep cover

No one wants to get caught in a downpour unprepared. Umbrellas, awnings or some other type of portable cover should be part of your tailgating supplies. Remember though that any type of portable shelter that bring should be well ventilated. If you don't have any type of good portable shelter than you might want to make contingency plans where you can go inside if needed.

Food and beverages

This might think that what food and beverage you take does not matter but think again. If the weather is cold, wet and windy you might not want to send too much time out in the elements preparing your food so bring something that can be cooked quick or prepared ahead of time could be a good idea. If it is nasty weather than you might want to forgo the soda, ice tea and water for thermoses of cocoa, coffee and apple cider. In cold weather it is even more important to keep hydrated so be sure you have plenty of liquids along.

Emergency kit and other equipment

Now that you have prepared yourself it is time to think about your vehicle. The Seattle area is notorious for black-ice so having cat litter, sand of some other form of de-icer that you sprinkle around your vehicle is a must have. Seattle does not get too much snow but if there is a chance of snow in the forecast you might want to pack a snow shovel. An ice-scraper is always a handy item to keep in your glove box. The final item you should always keep handy that many people don't think about is some form of a spray de-icer that you can use on your door-handles if they get iced up after the game on a cold night.