Charleston, WV – The morning air bites across the Kanawha Valley as temperatures dip below freezing, coating rooftops and lawns in silvery frost. Under a Freeze Warning from the National Weather Service in Charleston, much of central and southern West Virginia woke up to temperatures as low as 29°F — the coldest stretch so far this fall.
Gardeners and homeowners are urged to take precautions as the state’s growing season comes to a close. Tender plants and late-season gardens may already show freeze damage, while exposed pipes in rural areas should be wrapped or drained. Calm winds and clear skies allowed the mercury to plummet quickly before dawn, signaling the first widespread freeze of the season.
By midmorning, the chill begins to ease as sunshine takes over. Highs Friday rise to near 59°F, setting up a steady warm-up through the weekend. Saturday climbs into the low 60s with mostly clear skies — perfect for leaf cleanup or early Halloween decorating. Sunday follows suit, topping out in the mid-60s with light winds and increasing clouds late in the day.
Early next week, another system may bring scattered showers Monday and Tuesday, but no major cold fronts are expected immediately behind it. Still, with the calendar closing in on November, residents are now in early winter-prep mode — swapping out hoses, watching for frost, and perhaps eyeing the forecast for that first snow hint over the Appalachians.
After all, this morning’s freeze feels like nature’s quiet reminder — winter isn’t far away.
