Freeze Warnings Expand For Most of the Region Tonight

Temps fell below freezing across the mountains and northern foothills Tuesday morning – officially ending the growing season across the high country. The low pressure system over the Great Lakes will continue to transport freezing temperatures across the region. This will keep temperatures well below average today with highs struggling to break out of the 50s this afternoon and for some across the high country temps won’t get out of the 30s today.

A Freeze Warning will go into effect for most of the region tonight as lows fall near freezing under clear skies. A northwesterly breeze will make it feel even colder with wind chills in the 20s and low 30s.

This will likely limit frost development tonight, as even a 3-5 mph breeze mixes up the atmosphere closer to the surface. But, as winds settle Wednesday, patchy frost will be more likely as temps once again fall near freezing.

The average first freeze of the season usually occurs before October 15 for the mountains, while the southern Piedmont will see their first freeze of the season after November 1. Temperatures for the Charlotte metro area will hover near, but slightly above freezing Tuesday and Wednesday nights. On average, Charlotte will see its first freeze November 5. The earliest freeze on record for Charlotte occurred in 2000 on October 9. The latest freeze was December 10 in 1978.

Remember to bring your pets indoors, run your faucet on a slow drip to protect your pipes, especially if you live in the mountains. Temps below freezing for 6 hours could lead to frozen pipes that could cause damage. Don’t forget to bring in or cover sensitive plants. A light freeze is when temperatures fall between 29-32F and will kill tender plants. A hard freeze is when temperatures fall between 25-28F and is widely destructive. Temperatures below 24F are considered a killing freeze and will kill most garden plants.

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