Freeze Warning Covers 7 Maryland Counties

BALTIMORE, MD — Cover any sensitive plants and keep the winter blankets handy. Temps that have been in the 50s are set to plummet as the sun sets Thursday, sinking into the below-freezing range by Friday morning.

The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning, effective from 2 to 9 a.m. on Friday, April 20.

Temperatures will be in the high 20s and low 30s, and wind gusts are expected to top 30 mph.

Check the forecast from the National Weather Service.

The freeze warning applies to parts of Maryland and Virginia.

Here are the jurisdictions in Maryland under the freeze warning, with towns the weather service says may be impacted in particular:

• Baltimore (Cockeysville, Reisterstown)
• Carroll (especially Eldersburg and Westminster)
• Frederick (Ballenger Creek, Frederick)
• Harford (Jarrettsville)
• Howard (Columbia, Ellicott City, Lisbon)
• Montgomery (Bethesda, Damascus, Germantown, Rockville)
• Washington (Hagerstown)

A freeze warning means that temperatures will likely be below freezing, which could kill crops and other sensitive vegetation.

Here are some steps you can take when a frost or freeze threatens, according to TodaysHomeowner.com.

• Bring Indoors: Frost-tender plants in containers should be brought inside during cold weather. Dig up tender bulbs and store them in a cool dry place.
• Water Plants: Water plants thoroughly before a freeze to prevent desiccation and to add insulating water to the soil and plant cells.
• Protect Tender Sprouts: Cover tender plants overnight with an inverted bucket or flower pot, or with a layer of mulch. Be sure to uncover them in the morning when the temperature rises above freezing.
• Cover Shrubs and Trees: Larger plants can be covered with fabric, old bed sheets, burlap, or commercial frost cloths (avoid using plastic). For best results, drape the cover over a frame to keep it from touching the foliage. Fabric covers help to trap heat from the soil, so make sure your cover drapes to the ground. Uncover them in the morning when the temperature rises above freezing.

— By Elizabeth Janney and Deb Belt

A freeze warning is in effect from 2 to 9 a.m. on Friday, April 20. Image via Shutterstock.