CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A freeze warning returns to Charlotte and the Carolinas overnight Thursday morning because of temperatures at-or-near freezing.
Charlotte has moved into a massive cooldown since a record-tying afternoon temperature of 84 degrees Monday. For the second straight day in a row Wednesday, the afternoon temperature in Charlotte was in the 50s. The same will return in the forecast for Thursday. The last time Charlotte saw consecutive days with afternoon temperatures in the 50s was March.
The change was brought on by the arrival of a cold front Monday evening.
The National Weather Service issued the first freeze warning of the season Tuesday - and reissued the warning for Wednesday and Thursday mornings. The temperatures could damage or kill some crops, plants and other vegetation. A freeze warning is in effect for counties roughly along the Interstate 85 corridor, including Mecklenburg and York counties.
Freezing temperatures are possible during early morning hours throughout the work week.
National Weather Service meteorologists, who are charged with issuing life-threatening weather alerts, will issue freeze watches and freeze warnings at the end of autumn, and the beginning of spring, whenever cold temperatures could threaten vegetation. They do not issue these alerts in the middle of winter because the growing season is inactive.
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