By Gina Cherundolo, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

Dec 9, 2010; 10:33 AM ET

New York Jets’ wide receiver Brad Smith runs for yardage during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sept. 26. The two teams will face off again in the midst of a storm that will affect much of the East Coast. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

As the first potential major winter storm of the season looms for the Midwest and Northeast, NFL games played in these areas Sunday could be marked by messy, wintry conditions. 

AccuWeather.com meteorologists are forecasting that the storm will affect the eastern Great Lakes, parts of the Midwest, and central Appalachians this weekend. 

Measurable snow and/or a wintry mix will fall from the Upper Midwest through Northeast during this time. 

Major cities in the Midwest will get the brunt of this storm, including Chicago and Detroit, who both play afternoon football games Sunday. Fortunately for the Packers and Lions, their game will be played in the domed Ford Field. 

Most of the storm will have passed Chicago by game time, so the game will likely just have flurries by kickoff. However, the game will have strong winds and extreme cold, with below-zero RealFeel® temperatures expected. 

Buffalo is hosting the Cleveland Browns at 1 p.m., EST. That game could be played in a raging snowstorm with temperatures near the freezing mark. 

Cities along the I-95 corridor will have rain Sunday. This includes games in Washington, D.C., and East Rutherford, N.J., being played at 1 p.m. and 4:15 p.m., respectively. 

The 1 p.m. Bengals/Steelers game in Pittsburgh is a close call, with a wintry mix and raw conditions for much of the game. 

Keep checking back with AccuWeather.com as we continue to monitor this weekend’s storm.