Spencer, Iowa – Northwestern Iowa residents should prepare for an early taste of autumn as a frost advisory goes into effect from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. Sunday. Temperatures are expected to dip as low as 36 degrees, with some pockets turning colder, allowing frost to form overnight.
According to the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, the advisory covers Lyon, Osceola, Dickinson, Sioux, O’Brien, Clay, and Cherokee counties in Iowa, along with neighboring areas of southwest Minnesota and east-central South Dakota. Communities such as Rock Rapids, Sheldon, Spencer, and Sioux Center are most at risk of seeing frost on rooftops, vehicles, and gardens by sunrise.
Sensitive vegetation and late-summer crops could be damaged or killed if left uncovered. Residents are urged to bring potted plants indoors or use coverings such as sheets or tarps to protect outdoor flowers and gardens. Farmers and gardeners across the region may see localized impacts on beans, squash, and other frost-sensitive crops.
The chill will ease by mid-morning as sunshine returns, but another round of cold mornings remains possible into early next week. The National Weather Service said updates will be issued if further advisories are needed.
