ST. GEORGE — A hard-freeze warning affecting Southern Utah cities Beaver and Cedar City early Tuesday morning forecasts temperatures as low as 23 degrees.
The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City has issued the warning, which is in effect from 2 a.m. to 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Affected area
Areas affected by the warning include Southern Wasatch Front, Sanpete and Sevier valleys and west central and southwest Utah, excluding Dixie. Cities affected include Lehi, Provo, Nephi, Manti, Richfield, Delta, Fillmore, Beaver, Cedar City and Milford.
Timing and impacts
Temperatures will fall to minimums of 23-28 degrees after skies clear around 2 a.m.
Several hours of below freezing temperatures with a few hours below 28 degrees will damage or kill sensitive vegetation unless precautionary measures are taken.
Precautionary actions
Sub-freezing temperatures are imminent or highly likely. These conditions will kill crops and other sensitive vegetation.
The Farmer’s Almanac recommends the following in preparation for freezing conditions:
If a frost is predicted, cover your plants, both to retain as much soil heat and moisture as possible and to protect them against strong winds, which can hasten drying and cooling. You can use newspapers, baskets, tarps, straw and other materials to cover your plants. Cover the whole plant before sunset to trap any remaining heat. Be sure to anchor lightweight coverings to prevent them from blowing away.
Keep the soil moist by watering your plants the day a frost is predicted. Commercial fruit and vegetable growers leave sprinklers on all night to cover plants with water. As the water freezes, it releases heat, protecting the plants, even though they’re covered by ice. To prevent damage, the sprinklers need to run continuously as long as temperatures remain below freezing.
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