National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

Freeze Warning Tonight:

Cold...Canadian high pressure passed over the northern plains Wednesday night resulting in a widespread frost with some communities falling into the 20s.  For a list of observed low temperatures from Thursday morning, click HERE.

 Track Freezing Temperatures Across the Region:

Freezing temperatures have begun to show up across the upper Midwest (see image below thru 9/15).  A large expansion of sub-freezing temperatures is expected tonight.  For more MRCC products and maps, click HERE.  

The NWS in Aberdeen will issue several products to alert users for the potential for frost or freeze conditions.  These products will be issued until the following:

 Descriptions of the products are provided below: 

Freeze Watch:   Issued when conditions are favorable for temperatures to fall below 32 degrees Fahrenheit during the next 12 to 48 hours resulting in the possibility for significant damage to unprotected vegetation. 

Freeze Warning:  Issued when confidence is high that temperatures will fall below 32 degrees Fahrenheit within the next 24 hours resulting in significant damage to unprotected vegetation. 

Frost Advisory:  Issued when conditions are favorable for temperatures to drop between 33 and 36 degrees Fahrenheit resulting in the possibility of widespread frost near the surface.  Unprotected vegetation may be damaged.

The table and chart below summarize the date when temperatures of a given threshold are expected to be reached.  The graphic depicts the median date of the first 32F temperature across the Midwest, with the chart providing a more in depth comparison across the Aberdeen CWA.  For example, in Aberdeen, the average (or mean) date when temperatures are first expected to fall at or below 32F occurs on September 22nd.  Similarly, 90 percent of time, temperatures in Aberdeen will have fallen at or below 28F by October 15th.

Mike Fowle - Science and Operations Officer