Tallahassee, Florida – A widespread hard freeze could threaten crops, plumbing, and vulnerable residents across the Florida Panhandle, Big Bend, south Georgia, and southeast Alabama late Thursday into early Friday as Arctic air settles over the region.
According to the National Weather Service in Tallahassee, a Freeze Watch is in effect from Thursday evening through Friday morning, with overnight lows expected to fall between 20 and 25 degrees. Some inland locations could briefly dip into the upper teens, especially across south-central Georgia and rural parts of the Florida Panhandle.
In Florida, impacts are expected across Leon, Gadsden, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, and Dixie counties, including Tallahassee, Quincy, Perry, and areas near Wakulla Springs. Cold-sensitive vegetation, citrus, and winter crops face a high risk of damage. Inland communities typically sheltered from freezes could also see subfreezing temperatures for several hours.
Across south Georgia, cities such as Valdosta, Thomasville, Albany, Moultrie, Bainbridge, and Tifton may experience a prolonged freeze overnight. Southeast Alabama locations including Dothan, Enterprise, Ozark, and Headland are also included, with agricultural interests especially vulnerable.
Residents are urged to protect tender plants, cover outdoor plumbing, and drain or insulate sprinkler systems. Allowing faucets to drip slowly can help prevent pipe bursts. Additional advisories or a possible Freeze Warning may be issued as confidence increases, with the cold threat lingering through Friday morning.
