Pendleton, OR – Cold air settling into Eastern Oregon and Central Washington overnight Monday is expected to damage crops, gardens, and exposed plumbing by early Tuesday.
According to the National Weather Service in Spokane, temperatures in valleys and sheltered areas could fall to 28°F between midnight and 9 a.m. Tuesday, affecting a wide area including Pendleton, Yakima, Sunnyside, Ellensburg, and Walla Walla. The cold snap is most dangerous in rural zones and foothill communities, where wind is light and frost can settle.
Fruit trees, spring vegetables, and irrigation systems are especially vulnerable, particularly in agricultural pockets of the Yakima and Kittitas Valleys and the Northern Blue Mountains region. Residents are urged to cover or bring in sensitive plants, insulate outdoor spigots, and avoid early-morning watering.
This is the first major spring frost risk since temperatures began warming in early April. Skies will clear after sunrise Tuesday, with highs reaching the low 60s. No additional advisories are currently expected, but gardeners and farmers should stay alert for more cold snaps this week.
