COLUMBUS, Ohio — We had a potential for frost across much of Ohio early on Friday, but thankfully for those with plants still alive and kicking, things didn’t get cold enough for the ice to form in most locations.
While this is a good thing for the gardens, it’s also apart of a continuing trend that sees our temperatures staying warmer for longer each fall, pushing that first freeze later and later each year. Our average first freeze is Oct. 23, according to climate records, so we aren’t past normal yet, but what is considered normal keeps on pushing later into the year as time goes on.
Since the 1970s, the first freeze in Columbus has moved back a whopping 13 days on average compared to where it used to be.
It’s not just central Ohio seeing this trend. In fact, much of the country is now experiencing freezing temperatures later in the year than they used to. Of the 179 cities monitored by Climate Central, 88% are seeing their first freeze come later in the year, with the average change since the 1970s being 12 days later into the year…