WeatherFanatics: Frost, Hard Freeze for the South Late Week

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Frost, Hard Freeze for the South Late Week

By Michael Doll, Meteorologist

October 23,2013; 8:44PM,EDT

The coldest air of the season so far will settle over the southern United States later this week and bring the first frost and hard freeze of the season.
Sub-freezing temperatures are expected Thursday night across the lower Ohio Valley southward into the Tennessee Valley.
Locations such as Springfield and Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Lexington, Ky., will dip into the upper 20s and officially bring the growing season to an end.

Some locations will experience their first freeze two to three weeks ahead of the normal date.
Frost will be widespread Thursday night from northern Arkansas to the Tennessee Valley.
The cold air will sink farther south Friday night. There will be areas of frost as far south as southern Mississippi and southern Alabama, and as far east as the eastern Carolinas.
Temperatures Friday night will get down into the middle or upper 20s from the Tennessee Valley to central North Carolina and Virginia.
Those concerned about their tender vegetation should consider covering their plants or bringing them indoors to protect from damage.
In addition, there could be some impacts to the soybean crop in the lower Mississippi Valley.
"Locally, this freeze could damage a small percentage of the soybean crop that has not yet matured," said AccuWeather Agricultural Weather Expert Dale Mohler.
Ice scrapers will be in demand as windows on vehicles will become coated with frost Thursday night and Friday night.
People should allow some extra time in the morning before their commute to scrape off the frost or run the defrosters.

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Huntsville, Ala., Knoxville, Tenn., and Ashville, N.C., will fall into 20s and experience a hard freeze.
In the cities of Nashville, Tenn., and Raleigh, N.C., temperatures may not get below 30 degrees but
outlying areas will dip into the 20s.
Temperatures in the far northern and western suburbs of Atlanta will likely see temperatures at or below freezing Friday night.
Temperatures in the South are expected to rise a bit over the weekend and into early next week.

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