Tupelo, MS – A sharp round of overnight cold could put crops, gardens and exposed pipes at risk across northeast Mississippi as temperatures fall below freezing Monday night into Tuesday morning.
According to the National Weather Service in Memphis, a Freeze Watch is in effect from Monday evening through Tuesday morning for Lee, Itawamba, Chickasaw and Monroe counties. Forecasters say temperatures could drop as low as 23 degrees, cold enough to damage sensitive vegetation and affect unprotected outdoor plumbing. The watch includes Tupelo, Fulton, Amory, Houston, Okolona and Aberdeen.
The coldest air is expected to settle in late Monday night and around daybreak Tuesday, when frost and freeze conditions are most likely to develop. Rural locations and low-lying areas often cool faster, which can make damage worse for gardens, flowering trees and early spring plantings.
Residents should cover tender plants, bring potted vegetation indoors and wrap or drain exposed outdoor pipes before temperatures drop. Pet owners and anyone with outdoor water systems should also prepare for a hard freeze.
Conditions should improve after sunrise Tuesday, but the overnight cold could still cause widespread plant damage across northeast Mississippi before warmer air returns.
