Nation Faces Weather Extremes: Heat in the South, Frost Threat in the North
As millions endure intense heat advisories across the southern United States this week, five states face frost advisories, reminding that the first hard freeze of the season may arrive sooner than expected. On Monday, parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi were under heat advisories. This fits a summer trend of record-breaking temperatures in many cities.
The National Weather Service’s (NWS) Climate Prediction Center anticipates above-average temperatures across most of the U.S. through late September. Despite this, some NWS offices, including Pocatello, Idaho, and Gray, Maine, alongside Burlington, Vermont, issued frost advisories. These advisories suggest impending cold as temperatures might dip to the low 30s early Tuesday morning.
NWS meteorologists noted this is the season’s first advisory for each location. In Maine, further frost advisories are expected in coming weeks. Historical data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) indicates that these temperatures align with climate norms.
“The first freeze dates can vary widely due to elevation,” said meteorologists. Northern states generally experience earlier freezes, though high altitudes in southern regions are also prone to early cold snaps.
Frost formation can damage sensitive vegetation and harm outdoor pets. It can occur even when air temperatures are above freezing because ground-level temperatures may be up to 5 degrees cooler due to radiational cooling, says the NWS.
There are different alerts for cold weather. A frost advisory occurs when nighttime air temperatures range between 33 and 36 degrees, possibly resulting in frost. A freeze warning is issued for significant, widespread freezing. Both affect crops and plants adversely and are issued when such cold spells might cause harm.
In Maine, the frost advisory is in effect from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. Tuesday, with temperatures dropping to 33 degrees in Oxford County. A similar advisory affects New Hampshire’s Coos County, and Essex County in Vermont, where temperatures could hit 32 degrees.
In New York, Franklin, Clinton, and Essex counties fall under a frost advisory by NWS Burlington. Idaho’s advisory kicks in at 3 a.m. Tuesday and extends till 9 a.m., affecting regions including St. Anthony, Shelley, Idaho Falls, and more, with temperatures potentially reaching 34 degrees.