For a team built on organisation and defensive discipline, heavy conditions can be awkward. Heat slows pressing, stretches recovery runs and makes concentration harder late in each half. That matters for Scotland, whose margin for error at major tournaments is rarely wide.
Reports suggest the squad has been working in Florida to adapt before heading north, a clear sign the staff expect the weather to be a factor. Even if Boston is not the same as Miami, the issue is less about exact temperatures and more about repeat high-intensity actions in sticky conditions.
The update says Hendry feels better prepared than many team-mates because of his spell in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ettifaq. He is said to have played regularly in temperatures around 40 degrees and humidity between 80% and 90%, with even hotter conditions earlier in that move.
That experience does not guarantee him a start, but it does change the conversation. If Scotland expect long defensive phases, aerial duels and a physically draining contest, a centre-back already accustomed to that environment becomes easier to trust.
This is where climate meets team selection. Hendry, John Souttar, Grant Hanley and Dominic Hyam give Clarke options, but familiarity with extreme conditions could be a useful separator. The report also notes planned cooling pauses around 23 minutes, which could double as tactical reset points.
That makes the opener a test of patience as much as quality. Watch the line-up closely, then watch the tempo: if Scotland can keep their shape and avoid the game becoming chaotic, they give themselves a real platform against Haiti.