The season’s first freeze is expected to set in overnight, with temperatures in Cullman County forecast to dip to 31 degrees before even colder nights await on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. 

The Huntsville office of the National Weather Service has issued an overnight Freeze Warning effective for its entire north Alabama and southern middle Tennessee coverage area, including all of Cullman County. The warning covers what’s expected to be the evening’s coldest period, stretching from 1 a.m. until 9 a.m. Tuesday morning. 

“Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing,” NWS advises, adding that residents should “[t]ake steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly. Those [who] have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-ground pipes to protect them from freezing.”

Residents should watch for additional freezing weather advisories beyond Tuesday, as chill air moves into Cullman County with lows expected in the upper 20s on Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning, and again on Wednesday night into early Thursday morning. 

No precipitation is anticipated this week during any of the area’s sub-freezing overnight periods, with forecasters calling for no chance of rainfall at all for at least the next five days. To stay current on emergent local weather-related information, follow the Cullman County Emergency Management Agency (@CullmanCountyEMA) on Facebook.