Blacksburg, VA – A sharp chill is settling across southwest Virginia tonight as temperatures dip into the 30s and lower 40s, with the coldest valleys near freezing. The National Weather Service in Blacksburg has issued a Freeze Watch for Greenbrier and Bath counties from late tonight through early Friday morning, warning of conditions that could harm crops, gardens, and unprotected outdoor plumbing.
According to the NWS Blacksburg office, the cold push comes as a center of high pressure crosses New York, bringing clear skies and calm winds that will allow rapid cooling overnight. Frost is likely in sheltered mountain valleys, while subfreezing temperatures are possible along and north of the I-64 corridor.
Officials urge residents to cover sensitive vegetation with lightweight cloth or plastic and to protect outdoor pipes from exposure. Farmers and gardeners in the Greenbrier Valley and Alleghany Highlands should take extra precautions to prevent plant damage.
Drivers along I-64 and U.S. 220 should be aware of reduced visibility from patchy frost near dawn. The chill will ease slightly Friday afternoon but another cold morning is possible this weekend. Cooler-than-normal temperatures will linger into early next week before a gradual rebound begins by Monday.
