Halloween in Charlotte will see a noticeable change in the weather
Charlotte trick-or-treaters may want to add an extra layer of clothes on Saturday, as the weather is expected to be “definitely chilly,” a National Weather Service meteorologist said Friday.
Temperatures in the 50s combined with wind will make the prime Halloween hours feel “a little nippy,” especially for those in light costumes Saturday afternoon and evening, meteorologist Clay Chaney of the NWS office in Greer, S.C. said.
Skies should be clear, but winds of up to 7 mph are expected in Charlotte, according to the latest NWS forecast Friday morning.
Saturday’s high is expected to reach only 60 degrees, according to the forecast. Then temps should stay in the 50s through the trick-or-treating hours, Chaney said. “But it doesn’t get under 50 until after 11 p.m.,” he said.
That will be a huge change in the weather from Thursday, when Charlotte set a record high of 83 degrees for Oct. 29. That broke the previous mark of 82 set in 1927, according to the NWS.
Thursday also was the day the remnants of Tropical Storm Zeta caused significant damage in parts of the region.
Charlotte’s first frost is expected this weekend, but likely not until overnight Sunday, when temperatures are forecast to dip into the mid-30s, Chaney said.
Some frost could settle in some areas of Mecklenburg and surrounding counties overnight Friday and overnight Saturday, but the greater likelihood of widespread frost in Charlotte is “definitely (overnight) Sunday,” Chaney sad.
“Cold air settling into the region could produce conditions favorable for patchy frost (Friday) in many areas of the Piedmont,” NWS meteorologists said in a hazardous weather outlook bulletin early Friday. “Tender plants may need to be protected from the cold.”
The NWS issued the alert for the Charlotte area and parts of the N.C. foothills and mountains.
Frosty nights ahead
Charlotte’s expected lows of 41 overnight Friday and 46 overnight Saturday aren’t low enough for widespread frost, which Chaney said needs temperatures in the 33-degree to 36-degree range.
The lows forecast for overnight Sunday and overnight Monday will be much more conducive to frost in Charlotte, Chaney said. The respective lows at Charlotte’s airport those nights are pegged at 36 degrees and 35 degrees, according to the latest NWS forecast.
Areas north of the Interstate 40 corridor saw their first frost last week, Chaney said. Ares south of I-40 could see their first this weekend, he said.
To protect plants against frost, first make sure they’re well watered, as poorly watered ones “are more vulnerable to cold damage,” according to Chris Gunter, vegetable production specialist and professor at N.C. State University.
Moist soil also keeps heat longer, Gunter posted in an article titled on the university’s website. Also, avoid cultivating the soil just before a frost or freeze, he advised, as that can damage plant roots and worsen stress on the plant.
Be sure to cover your plants with a frost cloth, he said. Waxed paper cups are fine to protect small transplants overnight, according to Gunter.
And always check the temperature under the plant covers, he advised, removing the protections before temperatures get too high.
This story was originally published October 30, 2020 at 12:49 PM.