Springfield, IL – Residents across central and eastern Illinois are urged to prepare for a sharp overnight temperature drop as a Freeze Warning remains in effect from 1 a.m. until 9 a.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service in Lincoln.
The alert includes Peoria, Bloomington, Springfield, Champaign, Decatur, Effingham, and Danville, with temperatures expected to fall between 28 and 32 degrees by early morning.
According to meteorologists, frost and freeze conditions may kill sensitive vegetation and could damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. The warning covers much of central, east-central, southeast, and west-central Illinois, affecting counties from Knox and McLean down through Sangamon, Shelby, and Jasper.
Residents are advised to cover tender plants, disconnect hoses, and ensure outdoor pets have proper shelter. Farmers and gardeners should take precautions to protect late-season crops from overnight frost damage.
The cold stretch marks one of the first widespread freezes of the season, signaling a shift toward colder fall conditions as October nears its end.
