A freeze warning is in effect from midnight this evening to 9 a.m. Monday for Washington, D.C., and surrounding suburbs in Maryland and Virginia after several days of unseasonably warm temperatures.
The warning is for parts of D.C., Prince George’s County and Charles County in Maryland, and Arlington, Falls Church and Alexandria in Virginia, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Temperatures are expected to be sub-freezing, in the 20s -30s. The cold may cause damage to crops, other vegetation and outdoor plumbing, the NWS said.
A full list of weather alerts from the National Weather Service can be found here.
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“Temperatures could be dropping quickly below the freezing mark, due to the light winds and those cooler than average temperatures,” Storm Team4 Meteorologist Clay Anderson said.
To prepare for the cold, Anderson recommends outdoor plants be brought inside.
“This area here, could see temperatures 31, 32 degrees, and that’s why you want to bring those plants, or whatever you are trying to grow, outside, inside,” Anderson said.
D.C. has activated this season's first hypothermia alert. It is set to begin at 6 p.m. tonight and will continue until conditions approve, according to a release from the D.C. Mayor's office.
The alert asks residents to help neighbors experiencing homelessness get out of the cold. Transporation to a shelter can be requested by calling 202-399-7093 or 311.
Last week, temperatures made some days feel more like the month of September. On Saturday, temperatures reached 70 degrees. On Sunday, temperatures cooled down to the 40s-50s.
A December feel is expected in the week ahead as daytime highs are expected to stay below 50 all week. Monday will be breezy and sunny with temps in the 40s-50s. A freeze could happen Monday evening into Tuesday morning as well.
