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Ricketts’ NFL Sunday Forecast

By Lauryn Ricketts

WASHINGTON — It’s going to be another great week around the NFL for weather. The only venue once again that could really be impacted would be Bank of America Stadium, home to the Carolina Panthers. They will take on the Detroit Lions with good chance of unsettled weather. While we will have to continue to watch the forecast for that area as kickoff draws closer, it does look like some rain could be around which will be interesting to see how Cam Newton reacts coming off the beach from a rib injury. Also a forecast to watch will be the late afternoon game at Green Bay, as there could be some rain showers that move through during the second half of the game. Other than that, forecasts look good across the NFL for Sunday!

1:00p.m. EST

Jacksonville Jaguars at Washington Redskins (FedExField): Looking more like San Diego-type weather for the Redskins home opener. Temperatures will move nicely from the low 70s at kickoff to the mid 70s by the end of the game with plenty of sunshine and a light wind.

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (Ralph Wilson Stadium): Clouds will decrease through the game with temperatures around 60 degrees. Winds will not be a factor as they are rolling out of the northwest at 3-5 mph. Looking great in Buffalo for football!

Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans (LP Field): Plenty of sunshine to go around and Nashville is no exception. Temperatures will rise from the mid 70s through the upper 70s during game time. A north wind rolling at 5-10 mph is to be expected.

New England Patriots at Minnesota Vikings (TCF Bank Stadium): Cool but comfortable in Minneapolis. Temperatures will hang around the mid 60 degree mark with a nice southwest wind at 5-10 mph. A mix of sun and clouds through the game, but definitely on the dry side.

Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants (Metlife Stadium): Another game full of sunshine with very comfortable conditions. Temperatures will start in the mid to upper 60s at kickoff and move into the lower 70s by the fourth quarter. A refreshing north wind of 5-10 mph will accompany the nice conditions.

New Orleans Saints at Cleveland Browns (First Energy Stadium): Temperatures will stay steady through the duration of this match: Mid 60s. Once again, plenty of sunshine will be around, with just a light wind coming from the east at 5 mph.

Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers (Bank of America Stadium): This is going to be the forecast to watch as we draw closer to kickoff on Sunday. A stalled frontal system across the region will give way to unsettled weather all weekend, including Sunday. Cool with temperatures only around 70 degrees with clouds hanging around. There will be about a 30-40 percent chance of showers and maybe some storms through the game on Sunday. We will have continue to monitor where this front is located by Sunday to have a good idea of what the weather will be, but something to keep an eye on.

Atlanta Falcons at Cincinnati Bengals (Paul Brown Stadium): Sunshine continues through Cincinnati with almost perfect football weather. Temperatures will be in the lower 70s with a light wind to boot.

4:05 p.m EST

St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

(Raymond James Stadium): Sunset: 7:37 p.m. Of course, with temperatures around 90 degrees at kickoff (feeling like upper 90s) there will be a chance of storms (also considering the fact that the game is in Florida). Chances of storms will decrease from about 50% at kickoff to about 20% by the end of the game. Temperatures will drop too, through the 80s during the game. Winds will be southwest at 5 mph.

Seattle Seahawks at San Diego Chargers (Qualcomm Stadium): San Diego will get a little taste of summer with hotter than average temperatures. Temperatures through the game will remain in the low 90s accompanied by plenty of sunshine and a nice northwest wind at 5-10 mph.

4:25 p.m. EST

Houston Texans at Oakland Raiders (O.co Coliseum): All sunshine throughout this game with temperatures starting in the lower 70s at the beginning of the game and moving into the upper 70s at the end of the game. Winds will not be a factor as they will be light.

New York Jets at Green Bay Packers (Lambeau Field): After some possible early morning frost and a chilly start to the day, temperatures will warm into the lower 60s by kickoff. By the 4th quarter, temperatures will drop into the mid to upper 50s. There could be some rain after about 6p.m local time as a piece of energy dives through the region. Will will have to keep an eye on the radar but rain chances up to about 30%-40% during the second half of the game. Sunset: 7:07PM/

Kansas City at Denver Broncos (Sports Authority Field at Mile High): A big warm up in store for the Denver area when several days prior to football Sunday, temperatures were not getting out of the 50s/60s! However, a big switch will occur as daytime highs move into the mid 80s for kickoff. They stay in the 80s throughout the game with partly cloudy skies and a light wind.

8:30 p.m. EST

Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers

(Levi’s Stadium): Great night for Sunday football. Temperatures in the upper 60s will fall into the lower 60s during the game. A nice breeze out of the WSW moving at about 10 mph may have to be watched. Other than that expect dry conditions with partly cloudy skies.

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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