SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Cold air is rushing into Northern California, setting the stage for potential record-setting cold temperatures by early Thursday morning.
The National Weather Service has issued a Hard Freeze Warning for most of the Valley in Northern California between 1 a.m. and 9 a.m. Thursday. This means general temperatures will range in the low to upper 20s. With this cold air, water will be at the freezing mark or below for several hours and can freeze solid before sunrise.
Ice and snow showers made travel dicey on many of California's mountain highways Wednesday as a very cold and windy storm moved through. Chains were required on major Sierra Nevada routes and icy conditions disrupted travel over Interstate 5 in Tejon Pass between Los Angeles and the San Joaquin Valley and on State Route 58 in the Tehachapi Mountains east of Bakersfield.
Massive traffic jams backed up on I-5 as big rigs and cars were prevented from going over the high-elevation summit and were turned around.
Since water expands when it freezes, it can also cause a host of issues. Pipes that are exposed or uninsulated can be damaged and broken from ice forming inside. Plants can freeze and become damaged or die.
Ken Oneto, who runs KLM Ranches in Elk Grove, says he's been preparing by putting sprinkler water on his plants, which slightly raises the ambient temperature of the his field. He's hoping his flowers won't freeze.
"If we have an event where the flowers freeze, then that flower is no longer viable, no longer has fruit. And it's not only affecting the cherry crop in California or the cherries, but the almonds in California right now are in full bloom. So I imagine all the almond growers up and down the state right now are making plans on what they're doing tomorrow," Oneto said.
Preparations should be made Wednesday since the coldest temperatures occur in the middle of the night.
"It's important to check on elderly family members, friends and neighbors. They could be very vulnerable to the cold weather," said Samantha Mott, spokesperson for Sacramento County Public Health.
Pets should also be in a warm area, as some may experience extreme discomfort or worse if they are not used to freezing temperatures. Also, people exposed to cold temperatures outdoors should seek shelter.
However, Mott says people should never heat their home with propane due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
"People should only use heaters installed in their home that are designed to be used indoors and make sure that natural gas furnaces and other appliances are in good, clean working order," Mott said.
Even though the area mapped out for the Hard Freeze Warning has defined lines, other areas outside the boundaries will need to prepare for cold temperatures, as well. The Sierra will see many areas dip into the teens and even below zero. There is some wind forecasted overnight, as well, and below zero wind chill conditions could happen, too.
Friday morning will also see cold temperatures, but mostly in the low 30s.
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