A strong autumn cold front is sweeping through the Midwest and mid-Atlantic, bringing a sharp drop in temperatures and leading to widespread freeze warnings and frost advisories.
Millions of residents are expected to face overnight lows dipping into the 20s and 30s from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, raising concerns for crops, home plumbing, and travel safety.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued freeze warnings for parts of Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska, effective from midnight to 2 a.m. Thursday.
In central, north-central, southwest, and west-central Iowa, temperatures are forecast to range from 26 to 32 degrees, with widespread frost expected.
Areas in northwest Illinois and east-central and northeast Iowa could experience lows near 28 degrees.
In western Iowa counties such as Harrison, Shelby, and Monona, readings may fall to around 26 degrees, while similar lows are predicted for Nebraska counties including Burt, Cedar, Cuming, Stanton, Thurston, and Wayne.
East-central and northeast Nebraska could see temperatures bottom out near 28 degrees. All freeze warnings are expected to expire by 9 a.m. Thursday local time.
Farther east, states including Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio are under frost advisories as the chill spreads into the mid-Atlantic.
Officials are advising residents to take precautions by insulating exposed pipes, covering delicate vegetation, and keeping up with local weather updates as more cold fronts and storms are expected to move through later in the week.
The NWS has urged for preparation and vigilance on social media. NWS Des Moines stated: “Clear skies and light winds have resulted in temperatures trending lower tonight. Lows will be near to below freezing for much of the state. Cover sensitive plants that you’d like to save! #iawx” NWS Omaha added: “Bring in those begonia pots, if you haven’t already! Temperatures will drop into the upper 20s and lower 30s across much of the area tonight.”