Fans attending Monday Night Football’s showdown between the Giants and first-place Patriots at Gillette Stadium should prepare for plunging temperatures and winter weather as the area faces a cold snap that will send overnight lows into the mid-20s, according to AccuWeather.

Forget a white Christmas. Folks across the far northern tier of the nation will see a white Thanksgiving, with mounds of snow likely in coming days. A strong cold front will drop temps fast and bring a slight chance of wintry weather.

Paying attention not only to Cleveland’s forecast but to the broader national weather pattern is important for avoiding travel surprises.