This unseasonably chilly weather has been a bit of a shock to many of us. The potential for our first freeze of the season will be even more of a shock to our beloved fall flowers and plants tonight and early Tuesday.
An "unusually early" first freeze of the season is coming to North Texas tonight into early Tuesday. Low temperatures will range from the upper 20s to the northwest to the lower to middle 30s elsewhere.
For DFW it will be a close call with the temperature likely holding just slightly above freezing Tuesday morning and perhaps a couple degrees colder by Wednesday morning. Of course, the outlying areas (away from the concrete infrastructure) will be colder.
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This will be one of the earlier freezes on record for North Texas. Typically we don't get our first freeze of the season until late November (November 22nd on average). In fact, if DFW gets down to 32, it will make the top 10 list for earliest freezes.
With warmer weather returning later this week, we don't want to lose any plants or flowers. The particularly sensitive ones will be the most vulnerable. If it's a small potted plant and you have the room, it's best to bring it inside. Otherwise, you can cover them with a light cloth or fabric. This will help hold in heat. You can also add a heat lamp.
Thankfully this won't be a major "pipe-bursting" type of freeze, but it's always good to err on the side of caution. Be sure to protect outdoor plumbing and cover those outside faucets. Be sure to disconnect your hoses from the house. Lastly, turn off those sprinkler systems, as they can freeze up and also lead to icy patches on the sidewalks. -And with all the rain we've had lately, you can those sprinklers off for a few days!
