Jacksonville, Florida – A Freeze Warning has been issued for portions of southeast Georgia as sub-freezing temperatures are expected early Monday morning, posing risks to vegetation, pets, and vulnerable individuals.
According to the National Weather Service in Jacksonville, the Freeze Warning is in effect from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. EST Monday and replaces a previously issued Freeze Watch. Overnight low temperatures are forecast to drop to around 30 degrees, cold enough to damage or kill unprotected plants.
The warning includes Coffee, Jeff Davis, Bacon, Appling, Wayne, Atkinson, Pierce, Brantley, Clinch, Ware, and Charlton counties, covering communities such as Waycross, Baxley, Douglas, Jesup, Alma, Folkston, Hazlehurst, and Blackshear.
Forecasters warn that prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures can harm tender vegetation, burst unprotected pipes, and pose health risks. Outdoor pets should be brought inside or provided with adequate shelter, and residents are urged to check on young children, the elderly, and individuals without adequate heating, who are especially vulnerable during cold snaps.
This freeze event is notable for southeast Georgia, where hard freezes are less frequent and cold-sensitive plants are common. Even brief periods of sub-freezing temperatures can cause agricultural and landscaping damage if precautions are not taken.
Residents are advised to cover or bring indoors sensitive plants, wrap exposed pipes if necessary, and ensure heating systems are functioning properly ahead of Monday morning. Farmers and gardeners should take additional protective measures to minimize crop losses.
Temperatures are expected to rise above freezing later Monday morning as daytime heating resumes, gradually reducing cold-related impacts.
