SACRAMENTO, Calif. — For the first time this season, widespread freezing temperatures are possible across the Sacramento region and low foothills. This has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Freeze Warning for the valley and foothills below 2,000 feet in elevation.
Above 6,000 feet, temperatures will be very cold as well, but the scale is different due to elevation. For this region, we have a Cold Weather Advisory for temperatures from 3-15 degrees. Extra caution for cold weather should be taken for this area of the Sierra.
Monday night is expected to be clear to mostly clear in the Sacramento Valley, and this will allow for cooling overnight — essentially daytime heating gets released back into space. Without clouds to act as a blanket, there's nothing to hold the heat near the ground. The lack of an overnight breeze will also contribute to our cooling. This type of setup always makes for our coldest nights.
In places like Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto, we may not drop to the freezing mark Monday night, staying just a couple of degrees or so above it. The urban heat island effect will likely be enough to prevent parts of the area from hitting 32°. However, areas away from city centers — especially rural and agricultural areas — are likely to drop below 32°.
With morning temperatures around the freezing mark, remember the 4 P's:
- PEOPLE
- These temperatures are dangerous to human health. Avoid spending extended periods of time in freezing temps to prevent health issues. If you will be outside, dress appropriately with a heavy coat, hat and gloves.
- PETS
- Bring the animals inside or provide adequate shelter outdoors for them. Much like humans, these temperatures can be deadly for dogs and cats if left outside in the cold. If it's too cold for you outside, it's too cold for them.
- PLANTS
- Some plants may not be suited for temperatures in the 30s, including agricultural crops. Take steps to protect plants, whether by bringing potted plants inside or covering in-ground plants.
- PIPES
- Pipes exposed to the elements may need to be wrapped in a blanket to prevent freezing.
- It's important to note that this is not a hard freeze, which is considered to be 28° or less. During a hard freeze, more extreme steps would need to be taken to prevent pipes inside and outside the house from freezing, such as dripping the faucets.
Finally, give yourself extra time to leave the house Tuesday morning. Frost is very likely to form, especially on car windscreens and windows. You may need to do a little defrosting or even minor scraping.
WATCH MORE: A large Atmospheric River will bring periods of moderate to heavy rain and snow this week. An active weather pattern continues into the pre-holiday weekend travel.
