Take action now to save sensitive plants from the cold. A Freeze Warning will be in effect for parts of Colorado.
DENVER — A cold night is coming to the Denver metro area, Palmer Divide and eastern Colorado plains.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Freeze Warning for portions of the Front Range, including the southern Denver metro area, Castle Rock and areas to the east.
The Freeze Warning is in effect for Tuesday night and Wednesday morning as temperatures could drop to as low as 27 degrees Wednesday morning.
A previously issued Freeze Watch was canceled.
Those with sensitive plants should take precautions to protect them from sub-freezing temperatures that are expected.
A Winter Weather Advisory continues Tuesday for snow and blowing snow over the northern and central mountains. A Red Flag Warning continues for portions of east central and southeast Colorado along with the San Luis Valley.
Colorado will continue to see “breezy” conditions on Wednesday. The state’s next disturbance will move in, keeping the Denver metro area cool and unsettled Thursday and Friday.
The 9NEWS weather team keeps a chance of a storm in the forecast each day starting Saturday and going into next week, but highs will return to the 70s.
9NEWS Garden Expert Rob Proctor has advice for protecting sensitive plants from a May freeze.
- Protect patio plants and vegetables with sheets and frost cloth, as well as buckets and wastebaskets.
- Carry what you can to safety indoors.
- Damage from frost is more likely if you live in a colder area or if you’ve planted tropical plants such as tomatoes or peppers.
- Most annual plants are susceptible to frost. Some are really touchy and can’t survive even 1 degree below freezing. These include tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil, the squash family, coleus, sweet potato vine and salvias.
- But all annuals are at risk except for cold-hardy pansies, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, peas and onions.
- The good news is that most shrubs and perennials can survive a late frost. Plan to cover peonies and hostas. You don’t want peony buds to freeze. And both plants have the disadvantage of not being able to put out new leaves this season if the initial ones freeze.
- You may want to cover other perennials on a case-by-case basis.
Denver forecast
TUESDAY: Partly cloudy and still windy with a chance for a late storm, high around 60; mostly clear and windy tonight, low 34.
WEDNESDAY: Partly cloudy, breezy and cool, high 59; mostly cloudy with a chance for an isolated shower overnight, low 38.
THURSDAY: Staying cool with scattered showers and a chance for a storm, high 55; mostly cloudy with a chance for a few showers and maybe a storm overnight, low near 40.
FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy with a chance for an isolated storm, high 62; partly cloudy overnight, low 41.
SATURDAY: Partly cloudy with a chance for an isolated storm, high around 70; partly cloudy overnight, low 45.
SUNDAY: Partly cloudy with the chance for late storms, high 72; partly cloudy overnight, low 46.
MONDAY: Partly cloudy with a chance for a few late storms, high 74; partly cloudy overnight, low 47.
CLOSINGS: Latest closings and delays in Colorado
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