Protect plants: Frost advisory for much of Hampton Roads
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – If you’ve already completed your Spring gardening, thinking our region was past any risk of a frost, surprise! The National Weather Service has issued a Frost Advisory for the majority of the WAVY viewing area from 2 a.m. until 8 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23. There’s even a Freeze Warning to the northwest of Hampton Roads.
Lows are expected to be in the mid 30s in the impacted areas. A light freeze is possible in some low-lying rural locations.
In Monday’s weather blog, Meteorologist Jeremy Wheeler advised that you should bring in your potted plants and if you live in the advisory area highlighted on this map, you also may want to cover your gardens and flowers with a sheet or tarp. Frost can killed sensitive vegetation if left uncovered.
According to the National Weather Service, frost can occur when the temperature falls below 36 degrees.
NOAA has an interactive map that shows you the average date for the last light freeze in spring, based on historical data. You can search statistics on the earliest and latest frost dates by location. On average, NOAA reports the last freeze of the season usually occurs after the first day of Spring. The first day of spring this year was March 19.
Almanac.com provided this classification of freeze temperatures:
Light freeze: 29° to 32°F (-1.7° to 0°C)—tender plants are killed.
Moderate freeze: 25° to 28°F (-3.9° to -2.2°C)—widely destructive to most vegetation.
Severe freeze: 24°F (-4.4°C) and colder—heavy damage to most garden plants.
Once we get past the morning, it’s expected to warm up nicely Tuesday with mostly to partly sunny skies and high temperatures near 70 degrees.
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