BOSTON — If you’ve been holding out on turning on the heat, you might want to give in tonight as the weather forecast takes a sharp turn for the worse in Massachusetts.
We’ve had some cold nights this past week, dropping into the low 40s in Boston and the 30s in many of the suburbs. We’ll move to the next level Wednesday night.
Frost in the weather forecast
For the first time this season, many of us will wake up to an icy landscape on Thursday morning. In fact, we expect some of the colder locations to pass the frost and actually experience their first freeze. Time to find the windshield scraper!
CBS Boston
The temperature will reach a low point just before sunrise on Thursday morning. While downtown Boston and Worcester will likely remain well above freezing, temperatures in most suburbs will drop to between 80 and 90 degrees.
CBS Boston
Average first freeze dates
Despite the cold forecast, the National Weather Service will NOT be issuing frost or freeze warnings in southern New England.
This is because the growing seasonby their estimation, is already considered over. Once we get past October 11 in eastern Massachusetts and October 1 in central Massachusetts, people are considered to no longer be actively growing or protecting outdoor plants.
Take a look at this map, which shows the average dates for the first freeze in the fall. Central Mass. is about two weeks behind, while most of MetroWest is about a week behind.
CBS Boston
This is nothing new. Fall temperatures have been steadily warming in recent decades, meaning a longer growing season and growing season allergy season.
If you do have plants that you want to protect, you should absolutely cover them or bring them inside tonight. Whatever survives tonight will likely last another week or two given the mild weather forecast ahead.
CBS Boston
Keep an eye on the low temperature forecast for Friday and Saturday or we’ll be in for a very mild spell with some days well into the 70s through most of next week.
CBS Boston
