Louisville, Kentucky – Temperatures across central Kentucky and parts of southern Indiana will plunge into the mid-20s overnight, creating a widespread freeze that could damage early spring vegetation before sunrise Saturday.
The sharp cold snap arrives late Friday night and will persist into mid-morning Saturday, bringing one of the coldest nights of the late-March season for the Ohio Valley. Sensitive plants, budding fruit trees, and early garden crops are especially vulnerable as readings drop toward 26 degrees in some communities.
According to the National Weather Service in Louisville, a Freeze Warning remains in effect from midnight EDT through 10 a.m. Saturday for a large portion of central Kentucky and south-central Indiana. Cities under the alert include Louisville, Lexington, Elizabethtown, Bowling Green, Frankfort, and Richmond, along with communities in Dubois, Harrison, and Floyd counties in Indiana.
Gardeners and farmers across the region could see frost forming on exposed vegetation before dawn. Officials recommend covering tender plants, bringing potted plants indoors, and protecting outdoor plumbing where possible. Early spring blooms on fruit trees in areas such as Bourbon, Nelson, and Hardin counties may also face cold stress.
Drivers should expect chilly early-morning conditions Saturday, though dry weather should limit travel issues across major corridors like I-64, I-65, and the Bluegrass Parkway.
Temperatures will gradually rebound by late morning Saturday as sunshine returns, but additional chilly nights could follow early next week. Weather alerts remain in effect through Saturday morning, and additional updates may be issued if cold conditions linger.
