The National Weather Service is warning residents to protect sensitive outdoor plants and irrigation systems ahead of frigid overnight temperatures.
According to an alert issued Saturday, the entire Chicago area with the exception of Cook County will be under a frost advisory overnight Saturday into Sunday morning.
On Sunday night and into Monday morning, the entire Chicago area will be under a freeze watch, with overnight temperatures expected to plummet into the 20s, according to forecast models.
Residents are being urged to protect sensitive outdoor plants, as either frost or freeze could kill plants that are left unprotected. Those plants should be covered or brought inside if possible according to the National Weather Service.
Residents are also being encouraged to take steps to protect outdoor plumbing fixtures like sprinkler systems and spigots, as temperatures could drop enough for water to freeze in those appliances.
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, overnight lows Saturday and into Sunday morning will drop into the mid-30s in the city of Chicago, but they’ll drop to around the freezing mark outside of the city and away from the urban heat island.
Temperatures will only rise into the low-50s on Sunday, then will plummet again overnight, with lows in the 20s across the entire area, according to forecast models.
Fortunately the cold snap won’t last for long, as temperatures are expected to rebound back into the 70s by Tuesday.
Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest weather news and information, and download the NBC Chicago app for real-time weather alerts sent directly to your phone.
