National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists are warning thousands of people in Northern Texas that freezing temperatures are expected during the early morning hours on Tuesday.
The same forecast area also saw a risk of frost on Sunday morning, NWS meteorologist Brett Muscha told Newsweek, although no freeze warnings have been issued for the area yet this year. Muscha added that the threat of frost is occurring a little later than normal this year.
Why It Matters
The NWS office in Amarillo, Texas, has issued a frost advisory affecting parts of the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, signaling one of the first widespread threat of freezing temperatures for the area this season. The advisory arrives amid a broader pattern of subfreezing weather across several central U.S. states, raising risks to crops, sensitive plants, and unprotected infrastructure.
Frost and hard freezes mark the end of the growing season for farmers and gardeners.
What To Know
The frost advisory is in effect from 3 to 9 a.m. CDT on Tuesday morning. Temperatures are expected to drop as low as 32 degrees Fahrenheit across the Oklahoma Panhandle and the northwest half of the Texas Panhandle.
Areas covered by the advisory include communities such as Dalhart, Dumas, Perryton, Stratford, Borger, Boise City, and several others.
Residents should take immediate steps to protect sensitive outdoor plants, which may be killed if left uncovered in these conditions, the advisory said.
“Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold,” the frost advisory said.
The frost advisory in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles is part of a broader sweep of cold weather that has triggered freeze warnings and frost advisories in states across the central and western United States. In addition to the frost advisories in Texas and Oklahoma, the NWS has frost advisories in place for California, Kansas, and Nebraska and freeze warnings in place for Idaho, Oregon, Colorado, Kansas, and New Mexico.
However, other parts of Texas could see record-breaking high temperatures this week.
“Late October warmth cross the southern Plains on Tuesday highs climbing well into the 80s and 90s,” the NWS said in a Monday forecast.
What People Are Saying
NWS Amarillo in a forecast: “Similar to this past Sunday morning, looking ahead to tonight and early tomorrow morning, many locations will get down into the 30s for temperatures. Along with these temperatures and very light winds, many locations across the western and northern Panhandles have the potential to see some frost as well. If you can, make sure to cover sensitive vegetation, or bring indoors if possible.”
NWS in a Monday forecast: “Across portions of the Plains, due to increasing ridging/warmth, will be above average temperatures, with 90s across portions of Texas challenging daily record highs.”
What Happens Next?
The NWS urges residents across the advisory area to monitor forecasts and take action to protect sensitive plants and outdoor property. Precautionary steps may include covering tender vegetation or bringing it indoors for the duration of the advisory.