The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued winter freeze warnings for nine southeastern U.S. states, as well as Oregon in the northwest. In the south, the warnings affect large regions, including parts of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
Further north, NWS winter weather advisories cover areas from West Virginia to Missouri, with several regions in the northeast and Great Lakes also included.
This rare late-fall freeze across the South has prompted the NWS to caution travelers to avoid unnecessary travel and to prepare for emergencies. The impacted areas should expect hazardous driving conditions, reduced visibility, and drifting snow.
Winter freeze warnings are in effect for counties in eastern Texas, much of northern and central Louisiana, parts of Arkansas, and most of Mississippi, excluding the north and southern regions of Alabama.
Some northern counties in Florida, southern Georgia, and coastal areas of South Carolina and North Carolina are also under warnings.
In eastern Texas, the freeze warning began at midnight and will last until 9 a.m. local time on Saturday. Temperatures are expected to drop to 28-32°F, with the NWS warning of potential damage to crops, vegetation, and unprotected outdoor plumbing.
Residents are advised to protect sensitive plants from the cold. In Mississippi, the warnings extend from Saturday night through Tuesday morning, with temperatures expected to fall to 25-30°F, likely causing frost and damage to unprotected vegetation.
Freezing temperatures in southern Georgia and parts of northern Florida are expected to persist until 8 a.m. EST, with frost expected across much of the region.
However, temperatures in Florida should return to seasonal norms, possibly reaching the upper 70s by the end of the first week of December. In Oregon, a freeze warning covers a smaller coastal area from Reedsport to Port Orford.
Freeze warnings are issued when temperatures are expected to drop below 32°F for several hours within a 24-hour period. Saturday marks the official end of the 2024 hurricane season, which saw 11 hurricanes, significantly above the average of seven.
This season was particularly active, with Hurricane Helene in September causing widespread devastation in the southeastern U.S., especially in Georgia and Florida. The hurricane resulted in over 200 fatalities, making it the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.