SOUTH FORK, NY — A frost warning is in effect for southeast Suffolk County from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
Freezing temperatures could drop as low as 29 degrees, officials said. Frost and freezing conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage outdoor plumbing, the NWS said.
Residents are advised to take measures to protect tender plants from the cold.
According to Jay Engle, a meteorologist with the NWS office in Upton, the frost warning is mostly in effect in the Pine Barrens or windless parts of southeast Suffolk. While there may be some other isolated areas on the North Fork or in interior Suffolk County where temperatures may approach freezing, the South Fork will feel the biggest impacts, he said.
The freeze was caused by an unusually cold air mass with gusty winds Tuesday night, as well as drier air, Engle said.
When the wind drops, it allows temperatures to drop. Air temperatures are generally warmer during windy periods, he said. When the wind dies down, temperatures drop due to radiative cooling. in rural areas, that can lead to quite a drop in temperature, Engle said.
