What did P.J. Fleck ever do to Mother Nature? Saturday's forecast is shaky – again

CHICAGO – As James Taylor sings, "I've seen fire and I've seen rain." That rings true for Gophers football fans who have happened to venture on the road this season.

Two road games this year, at Purdue on Oct. 7 and at Michigan on Nov. 4, were delayed by lightning and thunderstorms, and another, at Oregon State on Sept. 9, featured a heavy downpour that didn't result in a delay. In addition, the Michigan State home game on Oct. 14 was delayed by lightning, and there were raindrops in the homecoming game against Illinois a week later.

But we're not done with the precipitation — and especially the wind — if the Weather Channel's forecast for Saturday's 11 a.m. game at Northwestern is correct.

The forecast calls for a high temperature of 41 and the chance of rain ranging from 80 percent at 11 a.m. to 90 percent at noon and 1 p.m. to 70 and 50 percent at 2 and 3 p.m. Humidity will be in the low 90s.

There will be wind, too, with predictions of 20- to 22-mph winds from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you're the seafaring type, there are gale warnings on Lake Michigan from Wilmette Harbor (slightly north of Northwestern) to Northerly Island (adjacent to Soldier Field). Those gales could reach 45 knots (51.8 miles per hour).

The good news: There is no mention of lightning.