Dogwood Winter 2.0 is here.... That means that you'll need to grab the jackets and cover/protect sensitive plants, if you can.
We set a new record low for April 22nd with a low of 30 degrees at the McGhee Tyson Airport (the old record was 31 degrees in 1993).
There is only one other year where we've been this cold this late in the month of April... That was in 1986 when we had lows in the 20s on the 23rd and 24th.
The cold snap won't last long but temperatures will be cold enough that they could damage or kill sensitive plants.
**A Frost Advisory and Freeze Warning will be in effect from 2 AM - 9 AM Friday across our region. Frost is possible across the Plateau and Valley with lows in the middle 30s. Colder temperatures in the lower 30s are expected across SE KY, SW VA, Upper East TN and the Mountains/Foothills with a freeze possible.**
It's a little late in the season to be seeing these chilly temperatures.... Our average last "freeze" is April 4th.
The average last "frost" occurs by April 17th but it's good to remember that these dates are the "average" so chilly temperatures have occurred later in the year before.
Neal Denton with the UT Agricultural extension says it may not be a bad idea to cover up some plants that are already blooming, like roses.
He says to cover the plants with fabric in the early evening to capture some of the heat of the day.
You may also need to secure any covering with extra weight so that the wind doesn't blow it around.
Denton recommends waiting to plant your summer plants until the last week of April or the first week of May, depending on where you live.
Stay tuned for updates on this cold weather!