Any number of topics could qualify as the lead story for this Sunday’s Super Bowl between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Can Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger cement his place in history by winning his third title? Despite their postseason run, should the Packers really be the favorites in this game? Which company will put on the best commercial?

One issue that won’t be a story, however, is the weather.

The NFL announced last week that no matter the weather, the roof on Cowboys Stadium will remain closed for the game, upholding the tradition of the Super Bowl being played in optimal conditions. The weather will be nice Sunday in Arlington, Texas, with temperatures above 50 degrees and clear skies at game time, but the NFL would rather not take its chances.

Three years from now, however, the weather will be the lead story heading into Super Bowl XLVIII. The reason? The championship game will be held at New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., marking the first time the Super Bowl will have been played outdoors in a cold weather city.

Because of its proximity to New York City — the media capital of the world — playing the title game at the home of the New York Giants and Jets makes plenty of sense. In the week prior to the game, members of the media, corporate sponsors, and fans will have the opportunity to take in all New York has to offer, including Broadway shows, fine dining and Knicks and Rangers games at Madison Square Garden.

If the Meadowlands Stadium had a roof, playing the Super Bowl there every few years would be an easy decision for the league. But it doesn’t, leaving many to wonder whether this outdoor experiment could become a disaster.

Speculation about the weather for the Meadowlands Super Bowl was particularly heightened after the decision was made earlier this season to postpone the Dec. 26 regular season game between the Vikings and Eagles in Philadelphia due to snow, the first time an NFL game was rescheduled because of snow since 1932.

What if the worst storm imaginable postponed the Super Bowl?

In fact, immediately after that storm in Philadelphia — a storm that paralyzed much of the Northeast, including the New York metropolitan area — George Vecsey of The New York Times criticized the owners’ decision to play Super Bowl XLVIII in a northern city, arguing that the game is a showcase and therefore should be played in pristine conditions.

Vescey also suggested that for the Meadowlands Super Bowl, there is a strong possibility that temperatures will be in the 20s, winds will be howling and there will be two feet of snow on the ground for kickoff.

It isn’t unreasonable to say that the Super Bowl should be held in a warm weather city so that field conditions are good, fans attending the game can enjoy their experience and the entertainers can perform at halftime.

What I do have a problem with is assuming that the weather in the Meadowlands will be ridiculously unbearable, as if North Jersey is preordained to face a cataclysmic blizzard three Februarys from now.

You see, I’m a lifelong resident of the next town over, Rutherford, and I grew up thinking I wanted to become a weatherman, so I feel I know a little bit about the Meadowlands area. Sure, we get our fair share of snow, and the past few weeks have been particularly snowy back home. But to assume we’ll be deluged with something we can’t handle that weekend seems a little extreme.

Most likely, it will be cold and windy, and there might even be some precipitation. Corporate types and celebrities attending the game won’t appreciate the conditions, but a clear, 40 degree day would be completely adequate for the sport’s biggest game.

Besides, even if some snow falls, it will only make the spectacle that much more dramatic. Imagine watching at home as the flakes come down, enjoying the game with friends and family as a fire is roaring. The conditions could make for a lovely late-winter celebration for the nation.

Of course, the worst could come. The NFL could be blitzed by the weather and face a blizzard on game day. Despite the poor job New Jersey and New York did removing snow during this past Christmas storm, both states have presented plans to transport players, fans and the media to the Meadowlands if the worst does in fact happen.

There’s always something special about watching snow-covered football games from home. It might be uncomfortable for some attending the game, but for the majority of players and fans there, it could be the most unique and memorable Super Bowl to date. And if there is no snow and the weather is decent, it will be just another title game, where the action on the field will matter most.

In three years, I’ll take pride in the fact that the Super Bowl is being held in my backyard.

Until then, I’ll continue to stock up on food and firewood so I’ll be ready for the 2014 version of “Snowpocalypse” that everyone seems to be predicting for that weekend.

Nick Macri is a senior in the College. The Big Picture appears in every other Friday edition of Hoya Sports.