GREENSBORO, N.C. — Get ready for a little more winter these first few days of April. Some bitter cold air is on the way which could kill unprotected plants and crops. Here's what you need to know.
A freeze warning is in effect as temperatures are guaranteed to drop well below freezing overnight. It won't just be below 32, but we'll drop all the way into the 20s.
Cold high pressure is anchored in control over the East Coast, blowing some harsh northerly winds into the Carolinas. That whipping wind will subside a little bit overnight, but the cold will continue to intensify. Temperatures will drop quickly after sunset into the 30s by midnight and eventually drop into the 20s.
We'll rise above freezing Friday morning with sunshine. Highs will be in the upper 40s to near 50 with a stiff breeze continuing. Freezing temperatures will again be the story Friday night into Saturday morning. Lows will be in the upper 20s.
If you're looking to protect flowering trees or tender plants, it's best to water them the day before, then cover them in fabric at dusk. Take the fabric off quickly after sunrise the next morning to prevent any damage.
The cold snap will be short-lived and a nice warm-up is expected over the Easter weekend into next week. It will be sunny Saturday through Monday. Saturday’s high will be 59, and 69 on Easter Sunday. The high Monday will be 72. Tuesday’s high will be in the mid 70’s.
It's not unusual to have a frost or a freeze in early April. In fact, the average last freeze of the season for most of the Triad comes in the first 11 days of April. In the Foothills, it usually comes in the middle of the month. In the mountains, the end of the month.
