Freeze Watch in Effect for Chicago Area

The Chicago area saw its first freeze Friday, and it is expected to continue through Saturday morning.

A Freeze Watch took effect Friday night for all of the metropolitan area and remains in effect until 9 a.m. Saturday.

The watch means sub-freezing temperatures are possible and could kill crops and sensitive vegetation.

Forecasters predict temperatures will hit the middle- to upper-30s by midnight Friday and could continue to fall to around 30 degrees and possibly into the upper-20s overnight.

The coldest temperatures will likely be seen inland as areas closer to Lake Michigan will see temperatures several degrees warmer.

According to the National Weather Service, some areas could experience a “hard freeze,” sending temps as low as 28 degrees. These temperatures could mean a “killing freeze” in some parts, essentially ending the growing season for many areas.

The freezing temps could also be seen again Saturday night.

On average, inland areas see their first freeze between Oct. 11 and Oct. 20, while areas closer to the lakefront see the first freeze from Oct. 21 to Oct. 30.

The earliest Chicago has seen temperatures fall below 32 degrees was on Sept. 22, 1995. The latest was on Nov. 24, 1931.
 

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