The mountains of western Maine and northern New Hampshire are in for a cold, clear night.
Temperatures could fall to 33 degrees, enough to bring frost to the region’s valleys and high terrain.
Where and When
The NWS Gray office has the advisory running from 2 AM to 8 AM EDT Tuesday.
In Maine, that’s Northern Oxford County. In New Hampshire, it’s Northern and Southern Coos County.
Berlin, Lancaster, Errol, Milan, Andover, Roxbury and Byron are all inside the advisory area, along with more remote spots like Wilsons Mills, Upton, South Arm, Middle Dam and Millsfield.
A Cold Night Was Already on the Radar
This isn’t the first cold night this week for the North Country. Forecasters flagged a sharp overnight temperature drop days before this advisory went up.
Clear skies mean great views, but they also mean heat escapes fast once the sun goes down.
By the weekend, the office was already looking ahead to a milder stretch on the other side of the cold snap.
Recommendations
Protect What You Can, While You Can
Move potted plants indoors or into a garage before nightfall. For anything still in the ground, drape a bedsheet, towel or frost cloth over it, letting the fabric reach the soil so ground heat gets trapped underneath. Avoid plastic directly on the leaves; it conducts cold and can do more harm than good.
Don’t Forget the Pipes
Outdoor faucets, hoses and irrigation lines are just as vulnerable as plants. Disconnect and drain garden hoses, and shut off and drain any exposed outdoor spigots. A few minutes of prep now can prevent a burst pipe later in the week.
Time It Right
The coldest air usually settles in right around sunrise, so cover plants before bed and don’t uncover them until temperatures climb back above freezing the next morning. If a hard freeze follows the frost, bring in any tender herbs or vegetables you’d rather not risk losing overnight.
