It's not always a sunny Super Bowl!

(WWLP) - The Super Bowl has drawn audiences, athletes, and entertainers to venues across the Unites States since 1967. More than 80% of those games, 35 of 42, we played in New Orleans, California, or Florida.  It doesn't take a lot of digging to discover why these locations are so hot.

Cities bid to host the Super Bowl several years in advance. When the NFL assesses bidding cities, along with the stadium and city itself, the weather is considered in the evaluation.

There is a reason in New Orleans, California, and Florida are popular Super Bowl city picks. All locations are mild in late January and early February. Since Super Bowl Sunday fell on February 1st this year, we reviewed normal weather conditions for several favored destinations on the same date.

The average high temperature in New Orleans on February 1st is a balmy 63 degrees after a morning low of 44. Normal precipitation is 0.2 inches of rain.

Tampa and Miami have hosted multiple Super Bowls. Tampa wakes up to a typical low of 52 degrees on February 1st and heads up to 70 degrees for the high. Miami is the mildest destination with a normal morning low of 59 and high of 77 degrees.  Both Florida cities have average rainfall of approximately 0.08 inches.

The Los Angeles area is visited by the Super Bowl time and time again. Perhaps the average high of 69 and mild low of 49 degrees is appealing! Precipitation is low on February 1st, averaging about 0.13 inches. Farther south in San Diego highs usually peak at 66 degrees and bottom out near 51 with only 0.08 average rainfall on the same day.

The frigid temperatures and accumulating snow that many Americans endure on Super Bowl Sunday have never been reflected on their television screens. Only a three Super Bowls were awarded to northern cities.

Super Bowl XVI was played in Pontiac, MI in 1982. Detroit, MI was host to Super Bowl XL in 2006. Finally, Minneapolis, MN was the pick for Super Bowl XXVI in 1992. These games were all held in domed stadiums.

Although the Pontiac Super Bowl holds the record for the coldest game, it didn’t provide the lowest temperatures that players put up with. Super Bowl VI in New Orleans in 1972 holds record for the coldest outdoor game. Temperatures maxed out at a only 43 degrees that day.

There was an ice storm in Atlanta, GA on Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000. It has only snowed on two Super Bowl Sundays in hosting cities. Both occasions were in Michigan, so pack your boots if you plan on being a spectator next time they claim the game.

This article was based on weather data assembled by William Schmitz and the Southeast Regional Climate Center. Their website can be found here with a complete table of past Super Bowl weather.