NORTH CAROLINA — Next Sunday morning could bring the first frost and freeze threat of the season to the mountains of western North Carolina, along with the first real taste of cold air across the region. The latest GFS model shows lows near freezing in the mountains and in the mid 30s across the Upstate of South Carolina. The timing matches when the first frost threats usually show up this time of year. Many residents may be turning on the furnace or lighting the fireplace for the first time this fall.
Asheville Could Drop to 31 Degrees
Asheville is forecast to fall to around 31 degrees Sunday morning, just below freezing. Higher mountain valleys and ridgetops across western North Carolina could get even colder.
A freeze in the mountains could end the growing season for sensitive plants. Gardeners in the high country should be ready to protect tender plants or bring them inside.
Pikeville and Knoxville Also Turn Cold
Some of the coldest readings on the map show up farther north and west. Pikeville, Kentucky, is forecast to drop to about 29 degrees, among the coldest spots in the region.
Knoxville, Tennessee, is expected to fall to around 34 degrees. Roanoke, Virginia, is forecast near 36 degrees.
Upstate South Carolina Dips Into the Mid 30s
Across the Upstate, Greenville is forecast to drop to about 36 degrees Sunday morning. Frost is possible in rural and low-lying areas where temperatures fall fastest…