Central Illinois will be under a freeze watch. Here's what we know
Central Illinois will see a rush of cool air this weekend resulting in a freeze watch being issued for much of the area.
The National Weather Service in Lincoln issued the alert for most of the area from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday. Conditions are expected to be cooler than average for this time of the year, with lows dropping into the lower 30s and even into the upper 20s in some areas.
Springfield will see a low of 31 degrees Friday, with light wind and widespread frost from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday. High temperatures Friday are expected to be nearly 20 degrees below Thursday's high of 76, with Friday only topping out at 58 degrees with wind gusts up to 16 mph.
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Other areas are slated to have even cooler weather tonight, with Lincoln and areas northwest of Springfield seeing low temperatures into the upper 20s.
With the first cold conditions in several months, there are plenty of questions about what it means for this weekend and for people still growing crops and plants during this time of the year. Here's what you need to know about this weekend's freeze:
Why is it getting so cold in central Illinois this weekend?
Ben Deubelbeiss, senior meteorologist with the NWS, said the cold temperatures hitting the area are largely a result of a cold front coming south from Canada, now currently situated above the Dakotas. That front caused high wind gusts last night, with some up to 30 mph.
"We just had a strong cold front that pushed through the area yesterday," Deubelbeiss said. "If you were out yesterday evening, you might have noticed those strong north winds that picked up behind the front. That vectored in some very cold air from Canada. The center of high pressure is right now over the Dakotas and the north central Plains.
Right now, there's temperatures in the teens and lower 20s up there. It's not going to get quite that cold, but that's the source region of the air that's blowing right now."
What is a freeze watch?
Like a heat advisory or heat warning, a freeze watch or warning comes when temperatures go below freezing during what is referred to as the "growing season." As weather can vary from year to year, what constitutes the growing season doesn't have a set start and end date.
Deubelbeiss said usually the growing season ends whenever there is a "hard freeze," meaning conditions cold enough that growing any kind of vegetation becomes difficult.
"From the weather side, once the area hits 28 degrees or less, that's the end of the growing season," Deubelbeiss said.
NWS typically collaborates with researchers at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, to work out just when the growing season starts and ends. For Springfield and much of central Illinois, that hard freeze comes right around the end of October, usually between the 21st and 31st, according to MRCC.
Thankfully for those trying to grow fall flowers or foliage, this weekend will not see a "hard freeze" cold enough to end the growing season.
"Any hard freeze would be extremely isolated (tonight)," Deubelbeiss said. "We're not forecasting a widespread hard freeze tonight."
What can be done to protect plants from frost?
Deubelbeiss recommends that people with open and growing plants bring them inside for warmth or cover them to protect them from the elements. This is especially important for vegetation that works best in warmer temperatures, as the cold weather can cause significant issues for them.
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"Vegetation that's sensitive to the cold could be harmed or killed," Deubelbeiss said. "If you have a home garden, bring plants indoors or cover them. That's the best way to protect plants from the cold.
Are temperatures going to get warmer in central Illinois?
Once the cold front dissipates, temperatures should return to the low-to-mid 70s by the start of next week. In addition, there is a chance for rain Tuesday night heading into Wednesday.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Central Illinois freeze watch issued for Saturday morning
