Manaus Weather Report

England vs. Italy

Arena Amazonia, Manaus

14 June 2014

18:00 Manaus, 6 p.m. New York, 21:00 London

Welcome to the heart of the Amazon. The weather in Manaus is probably exactly as you expect. It will be probably be steamy, possibly be rainy, but it will definitely be hot. Now, the weather is technically unpredictable. We can't exactly know what the weather is going to be like two months from now (or, where I live, two hours from now). However, we do know what the climate of anyone place is like. The climate tells us about what to expect. For those who are traveling, knowing what kind of weather you will need to deal with can be a huge difference between a successful, joyous trip, and one filled with heat stroke, broken umbrellas, and sun burns. To that end, here is a summation of what to expect this June in Manaus.

I can basically guarantee that it will be hot. The daily highs for Manaus in June fall around 89°F/ 32°C. The nights can be expected to be 15°F/10°C cooler, but expect it to be rather warm during games. However, in my experience, it's not the heat hat really gets to you. It's the humidity. The humidity in June in Manaus is actually quite variable. However, the game will be kicking off around the most humid time of the month. Humidity ranges from 58% (Humid) to 100% humidity (I-feel-like-I-am-drowning Humid) across June. Now, the combination of high humidity and high temperatures is actually very dangerous. You can get heat stroke just by being outside in the sun on a hot and humid day. If you are visiting, stay inside. I wouldn't worry so much about the players- the game is in the evening when the temperatures should be more... manageable. However, expect play to be slower and for players to tire more quickly. The good news is that the Italian opponents will probably also be very uncomfortable, though perhaps less so than the English.

The other thing to watch out for in the Amazon is rain. It rains over half the days in June, with most of the precipitation coming in the form of thunder storms. It is entirely possible that the game will be played during a downpour or have to have a late kickoff. Rain, of course, affects game play. This match will be the first game played on the field for the World Cup, so I expect the grounds to be in good condition. However, rain will make the game sloppier as the match continues. On the other hand, wind is not really considered a major factor in the climate. There might be a light breeze, but nothing substantial. That should provide ideal circumstances to whip crosses and free kicks into dangerous areas.

Sunset is at 18:00/ 6pm, so the sun will be going down just as the game gets started. That means the sun in the eyes of the players at some points, and shadows on the pitch.

And that's what to expect in Manaus. In summation, bring an umbrella, bring some sunglasses, and try and stay cool.