NORFOLK, Va. — We’re deep into autumn and winter is right around the corner: we’re getting to that time of the year when we begin to see those cold weather alerts popping up in the forecast. If you’re a gardener, it signals the end of the growing season.
Here’s a quick refresher on what our most common cold weather alerts mean. First up: Frost Advisories. These are issued during the growing season when widespread frost formation is expected as temperatures drop into the middle 30s.
A level-up from Frost Advisories is Freeze Watches and Warnings. These are also issued during the growing season when surface temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing for an extended period of time.
So, when do we typically see the first frost and freezes in our area? Of course, it depends on where you live. Inland areas encounter the cold first; first frosts occur anywhere from mid-October through the first week of November.
Freezes usually occur in late October through late November.
Now this story wouldn’t be complete without some cool stats. In Norfolk, the earliest subfreezing temperature in the season was October 15, 1876. The latest first subfreezing reading was just before Christmas in 1998, on December 23. And the big one: the coldest reading ever was 3 below zero on the 21st of January in 1985!
Winter is coming. Stay warm, Hampton Roads!
