Local residents bundled up and grabbed a hot cup of coffee this morning as the first fall freeze hit the area.
A cold front moved through the region Friday night with a large area of high pressure setting up to our west. Winds came in from the north, driving cold air down from Canada. With skies clearing, lighter winds and cold air filtering down, temperatures dropped to freezing levels in several areas outside of Philadelphia.
The coldest temperatures hit just before sunrise.
North and west of the city, temperatures plunged as low as the upper 20ās to low 30ās by Saturday morning. In the city, temperatures dropped to 38 degrees.
In parts of South Jersey where more freeze warnings are in effect, temperatures dipped into the upper 20ās to low 30ās.
In Delaware low temperatures ranged from the mid-upper 30sā.
Along the immediate shore, temperatures fell to around 40 degrees.
These very cold temperatures caused widespread frost to form Saturday morning north and west of the city. Elsewhere, patchy frost formed on the grass.
This is the first freeze and frost of the season. Typically, it happens on October 20th, so this one is about a week early. It's a shocking drop in temperatures, so any sensitive vegetation may get damaged or killed if not properly covered or brought inside.
The temperatures rose a bit after 9 a.m. this morning, hitting the mid to upper 50's. Temperatures won't drop drastically tonight like they did Friday night and we're in for a much warmer day on Sunday with temperatures in the low 70's.
If you're turning on your heater for the first time this fall, make sure you check for any frayed wires or things that may have gone unnoticed over the summer months. Also check your smoke detector and be sure to buy a carbon monoxide detector as well.
