Hours before U.S.-Germany kickoff, Recife is hit by torrential rain (updated)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/hours-before-us-germany-kickoff-recife-is-hit-by-torrential-rain/2014/06/26/2186391e-b92b-4714-b503-69fbf6ba3a46_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage

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Updated with the latest on field conditions and weather

A little over four hours before kickoff in the World Cup game between the United States and Germany, an enormous rainstorm struck, flooding streets and snarling traffic in Recife, Brazil.

Humidity was to be expected, but this was a deluge that, by 9 a.m., had dropped 2.9 inched of rain on the area. Although there were immediate questions about flooding on the pitch, FIFA officials by mid-morning had determined that the match would begin, as scheduled, at noon EDT.

[Follow LIVE updates of today's United States-Germany and Portugal-Ghana games by clicking here.]

U.S. players won’t have members of their family and friends rooting for them, though. Agent Richard Motzkin tells ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap that some have decided not to attempt to travel to the stadium. Just before kickoff, the area in front of one goal “looked swampy,” Sam Borden of the New York Times reported, and the stands were “sparsely filled.”

Helacious rain in Recife. Odds on 0-0 draw rising quicker than flood waters. #usmnt — Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) June 26, 2014

Helacious rain in Recife. Odds on 0-0 draw rising quicker than flood waters. #usmnt

— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) June 26, 2014

Epic rainstorm & traffic jam in Recife. Just went shin-deep in water. Stadium far out of town. Just hoping our bus makes it to game. — Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) June 26, 2014

Not kidding Recife is under water. Will be extremely difficult for everyone to get to stadium hour outside the city. #USAvsGER — Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) June 26, 2014

Bad weather this a-m in Recife. pic.twitter.com/1k3Nm5WbAM — Jeremy Schaap (@JeremySchaap) June 26, 2014

Had to walk through knee deep water at Metro station in Recife. Wonder what the pitch will look like… #USMNT #WorldCup2014 — Adam Littlefield (@Small_Meadow) June 26, 2014

A nice day for soccer pic.twitter.com/YZDZORN5Lo — Andrew Keh (@andrewkeh) June 26, 2014

Major flooding on our route through Recife to USA-Germany pic.twitter.com/m42I6b2D59 — Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) June 26, 2014

Massive flooding in Recife pic.twitter.com/cPeNz5lVgg — Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) June 26, 2014

This has disaster written all over it. Here some #usmnt fans look for high ground. No idea how theyll get to stadium pic.twitter.com/Cbc8YEVss8 — Rick Maese (@RickMaese) June 26, 2014

Dozens of US fans abandoning vehicles and walking through torrential rain to stadium in Recife. 17 miles from here. pic.twitter.com/9rJdlMYrKg — Ben Smith (@BenSmithBBC) June 26, 2014