Chance of Frost Conditions Could Damage Plants in the Northeast

Gardeners will want to take heed of the forecast in the Northeast. A string of chilly nights may put sensitive plants at risk over the next week. Here is a look at this cold forecast for this corner of the country.

Forecasters Warning of Frost Concerns This Week Across Interior Northeast

An infusion of colder air is making its way over to the interior portions of the Northeast, threatening late-season frost concerns for some parts of the region. Even as the calendar flips from April to May, the risk of frosty nights will linger across the Northeast. It is easy to get complacent this time of the year when warm days beckon gardeners to get outside and start their outdoor projects. However, you cannot rule out the chance of damaging frost occurrences in the nights ahead.

The major metropolitan areas up and down the Interstate 95 corridor will likely dodge the frosty conditions this late in the year. But it will be a different situation in the interior portions of the Northeast. Sensitive annuals, fruit trees, and some vegetable plants will be the most at risk of damage when the mercury drops.

Although it may seem too late in the season to be worrying about frosty nights, the annual last date of the final frost of the season is still a few weeks away for the interior Northeast. Forecasters are warning that it will still be chilly at night despite the fact that temperatures have been trending 2 to 5 degrees above the historical average since March 1.

The warmer weather thus far over March and April has encouraged the early bloom of plants throughout the region. While this has been nice to look at after the long winter, the early leaf-out now makes the vegetation more vulnerable to the impacts of a late-season frost event.

Although it has been unseasonably warm the last few months in the northeastern U.S., the region has seen its fair share of temperature drops. This is normal for the spring season when temperatures can vary widely from day to day. This roller coaster of temperatures is predicted to continue into May, translating to chilly conditions after the sun goes down.

The temperatures will slip the lowest at night when skies are clear and winds are calm. When these two elements combine with dry air sweeping down from Canada, residents will want to be aware of the chance of frosty conditions.

This setup contributed to temperatures that fell as low as the mid 20s on Sunday night across the interior Northeast. The same expectation is on the horizon late Wednesday and into Thursday morning. The greatest chance of a frost will be in the zone from upstate New York and up into interior New England.

Wednesday and Thursday will not be the only times that a frost or a freeze will threaten the region. Colder temperatures are also on the way for Saturday night on the backside of a rainstorm that will close out the week.

Clearing skies on Saturday will pave the way for the mercury to drop, creating widespread frost conditions over the weekend. It is also important to note that overnight lows indicate the temperatures about 5 to 6 feet above the surface of the ground.

The readings at the level where plants are growing can often fall between 5 and 10 degrees lower than what the forecast overnight low indicates. This is why frost or freeze warnings may be issued even when the forecast lows are still over the freezing threshold of 32 degrees.

How Chilly Will it Get?

What is the forecast calling for across some of the chilliest locations in the Northeast? Burlington, Vermont, is forecast to see a high of 56 degrees on Wednesday under sunny skies. The sunshine will feel lovely, however, the clear skies overnight will usher in colder temperatures after the sun goes down. Lows are currently forecast to hover in the mid 30s, chilly enough to create a frost that spreads over the ground and threatens plants. The winds will also die down from speeds of 10 to 20 mph during the day to just 5 to 10 mph overnight. These weakening winds will also support the development of frost.

Most of the coastal areas of the Northeast will remain warm enough at night to mitigate the chances of frost forming. However, the far northern reaches of the coastal region will not be as lucky. Bangor, Maine, is forecast to see a high of 60 degrees on Wednesday under plentiful sunshine. Clear skies will bring the mercury down to about 35 degrees in Bangor overnight. It will be slightly breezier in this part of the region with daytime winds clocking in at 15 to 25 mph and bottoming out at 10 to 20 mph at night.

While you cannot control Mother Nature, you can take steps to protect sensitive plants. Covering the plants with a plastic tarp at night can serve to keep them warm enough to withstand potential damage. You can also move portable plants into the garage at night. Even moving the pots closer to the house will provide some degree of protection from the elements.

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