Asheville, NC – The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a Freeze Warning for much of western North Carolina, in effect from 2 a.m. until 9 a.m. Friday.
The warning includes Avery, Madison, Yancey, Mitchell, Swain, Haywood, Buncombe, Jackson, Macon, and Transylvania counties, where temperatures are expected to fall to between 27 and 28 degrees overnight.
According to forecasters, the combination of clear skies and calm winds will lead to widespread frost and sub-freezing conditions, potentially killing sensitive plants and crops and damaging unprotected outdoor plumbing.
Residents in mountain valleys and rural areas should take precautions to cover plants, drain irrigation systems, and bring pets indoors. The National Weather Service also advises draining in-ground sprinklers and covering exposed pipes to prevent freezing.
This cold spell marks the first widespread freeze of the fall season for much of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountain region, signaling the end of the growing season across western North Carolina.
