WILMINGTON, N.C. – The warmth along the Carolina coast is on borrowed time. A brisk front sweeping through today will usher in the coldest air of the season, dropping temperatures into the lower 30s by Monday night — cold enough to trigger the year’s first widespread Freeze Watch for the region.
According to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, the watch is in effect from Monday evening through Tuesday morning for much of southeast North Carolina and northeast South Carolina, including Wilmington, Myrtle Beach, Florence, Leland, and Whiteville. Temperatures could fall to between 26°F and 31°F, cold enough to kill tender vegetation and damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
The front moves through this afternoon with a few spotty showers before skies clear and winds turn northwest. That shift will pull in dry, crisp air Monday, with highs near 57°F and a steady west wind gusting to 20 mph. By nightfall, calm winds and clear skies will allow rapid cooling — the setup for a frost and freeze combination that could catch early risers by surprise Tuesday morning.
Residents are urged to cover plants, bring pets indoors, and drip exposed pipes where possible. The chill won’t last long; Veterans Day brings bright skies and highs near 49°F, followed by a steady warm-up into the 60s midweek.
Still, this cold surge marks the true start of fall’s winter transition — a sharp reminder that the Carolinas aren’t immune from November’s bite, even along the coast.
Five-Day Forecast for Wilmington, NC:
Sun: 78/49 – Mostly sunny; breezy, brief showers late.
Mon: 57/31 – Clearing skies; cooler and windy.
Tue (Veterans Day): 49/36 – Sunny; cold start, light wind.
Wed: 63/44 – Bright and mild; crisp morning.
Thu: 67/41 – Sunny; pleasant and dry.
