September to conclude with 1st frost of season in Northeast
Even areas that don’t get a frosty coating during the early days of October will still have to contend with unseasonable cold as the new month gets underway.
By
Mary Gilbert, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Sep 30, 2021 1:05 PM EDT
The first frost is right around the corner, so here's what gardeners can do to prepare for the lower temperatures.
Just over a week since the autumnal equinox, a true sign that fall is underway is in the forecast for the Northeast. For many, the word "frost" hasn't been in their vocabulary since the spring, but AccuWeather forecasters say that is about to change.
Low temperatures are forecast to dip well into the 40s Fahrenheit for most of the Northeast overnight on Thursday, and a few normally cooler spots will even reach the upper and middle 30s, potentially leading to the first frost of the season, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Sadvary.
While locations that are typically the coolest in the Northeast are the likeliest to contend with frost this week, it will be an unseasonably chilly start to October for many across the region.
Many locations from the northern mid-Atlantic to the Canadian border are forecast to bottom out 3-8 degrees below what is normal for the first morning of October.
"Frost development will be most favorable for the mountains and higher elevations in the interior Northeast," Sadvary said.
According to Sadvary, the areas in which residents are most likely to wake up to frosty conditions Friday morning include the Green and White Mountains in New England, as well as the Adirondacks, Catskills and Poconos.
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In order for frost to form, atmospheric conditions near the ground have to hit a certain threshold.
"Frost occurs when the water vapor in a near-freezing layer of air interacts with a surface that is at or below freezing," Sadvary explained. "This typically occurs on car tops and grassy surfaces, which tend to be a few degrees cooler than the surrounding air during the overnight hours.”
In terms of the timing for this chilly weather, forecasters say the first frost is right on time for most of these areas.
(Photo/DeniceBreaux Getty Images)
"In most of the areas that can be impacted by this potential frost, the growing season has already ended," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.
Temperatures are unlikely to dip to damaging levels around much of vineyard country, including New York state’s Finger Lakes and along the Pennsylvania shores of Lake Erie, according to Sosnowski. The bodies of water in these locations should give off enough heat to keep the temperature elevated enough to prevent frost, he added.
While widespread crop damage is unlikely, frost can cause headaches for some recreational gardeners in the affected region if they aren't properly prepared.
For any plants located in the ground, forecasters say the best course of action to protect them from frost damage is to cover them. Lightweight tarps, old bedsheets, newspaper and straw are just a few items that can be used to trap the heat located in the soil from escaping.
AccuWeather forecasters recommend that potted plants be brought indoors any time frost is in the forecast. Potted plants are much more susceptible to frost damage due to the fact that their roots are not underground.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, DIRECTVstream, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeatherNOW is streaming on Roku and XUMO.
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News / Weather Forecasts
September to conclude with 1st frost of season in Northeast
Even areas that don’t get a frosty coating during the early days of October will still have to contend with unseasonable cold as the new month gets underway.
By Mary Gilbert, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Sep 30, 2021 1:05 PM EDT
The first frost is right around the corner, so here's what gardeners can do to prepare for the lower temperatures.
Just over a week since the autumnal equinox, a true sign that fall is underway is in the forecast for the Northeast. For many, the word "frost" hasn't been in their vocabulary since the spring, but AccuWeather forecasters say that is about to change.
Low temperatures are forecast to dip well into the 40s Fahrenheit for most of the Northeast overnight on Thursday, and a few normally cooler spots will even reach the upper and middle 30s, potentially leading to the first frost of the season, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Sadvary.
While locations that are typically the coolest in the Northeast are the likeliest to contend with frost this week, it will be an unseasonably chilly start to October for many across the region.
Many locations from the northern mid-Atlantic to the Canadian border are forecast to bottom out 3-8 degrees below what is normal for the first morning of October.
"Frost development will be most favorable for the mountains and higher elevations in the interior Northeast," Sadvary said.
According to Sadvary, the areas in which residents are most likely to wake up to frosty conditions Friday morning include the Green and White Mountains in New England, as well as the Adirondacks, Catskills and Poconos.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
In order for frost to form, atmospheric conditions near the ground have to hit a certain threshold.
"Frost occurs when the water vapor in a near-freezing layer of air interacts with a surface that is at or below freezing," Sadvary explained. "This typically occurs on car tops and grassy surfaces, which tend to be a few degrees cooler than the surrounding air during the overnight hours.”
In terms of the timing for this chilly weather, forecasters say the first frost is right on time for most of these areas.
(Photo/DeniceBreaux Getty Images)
"In most of the areas that can be impacted by this potential frost, the growing season has already ended," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.
Temperatures are unlikely to dip to damaging levels around much of vineyard country, including New York state’s Finger Lakes and along the Pennsylvania shores of Lake Erie, according to Sosnowski. The bodies of water in these locations should give off enough heat to keep the temperature elevated enough to prevent frost, he added.
While widespread crop damage is unlikely, frost can cause headaches for some recreational gardeners in the affected region if they aren't properly prepared.
For any plants located in the ground, forecasters say the best course of action to protect them from frost damage is to cover them. Lightweight tarps, old bedsheets, newspaper and straw are just a few items that can be used to trap the heat located in the soil from escaping.
AccuWeather forecasters recommend that potted plants be brought indoors any time frost is in the forecast. Potted plants are much more susceptible to frost damage due to the fact that their roots are not underground.
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For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, DIRECTVstream, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeatherNOW is streaming on Roku and XUMO.
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