Freeze Warning Issued For Southeastern Suffolk Early Wednesday

SOUTH FORK, NY — A freeze warning is in effect for southeastern Suffolk County from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Sub-freezing temperatures could dip as low as 29 degrees, officials said. The frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage outdoor plumbing, the NWS said.

Residents are advised to take steps to protect tender plants from the cold.

According to Jay Engle, meteorologist with the NWS office in Upton, the freeze warning is in effect mostly in the Pine Barrens area or parts of southeastern Suffolk with no wind. While there may be some other isolated areas on the North Fork or in interior areas of Suffolk County where temperatures may come close to freezing, the South Fork will feel the greatest impacts, he said.

The freeze is brought on by an unseasonably chill air mass with winds dropping off Tuesday night, as well as drier air, Engle said.

When the wind drops off, it allows temperatures to cool; air temperatures are generally warmer during times of wind, he said. When wind dies off, the temperatures drop due to radiational cooling; in rural areas, that can lead to a temperatures that drop quite a big, Engle said.