DENVER (KDVR) — Denver is on track for the first hard freeze of the season Wednesday night.
A freeze warning has been issued Wednesday night through Thursday morning as lows fall to the 20s. The action to take ahead of this hard freeze is to protect, or take inside, any plants you want to keep growing, and protect any exposed pipes or plumbing from the chill.
It has been a warm October so far, with both high and low temperatures staying above normal most days. In Denver, there have only been 5 days that fell to the 30s between October 1-29, with only one day falling to freezing.
Even though Denver has had its first freeze of the year, the freeze warnings are in place for the coldest air of the season, and the first hard freeze.
The biggest difference between a "freeze" and a "hard freeze" is a few degrees. In order to be considered the first freeze of the season, temperatures need to fall to 32 degrees of below. A hard freeze, on the other hand, requires low temperatures or below 28 degrees for at least one hour.
Denver typically sees the first freeze of the season on Oct. 7, but have made it as late as Nov. 15 before hitting 32 degrees or colder for the first time.
Normally, Denver sees 28 degrees or colder for the first time of the season on Oct. 19. However, Denver has recorded 28 degrees or below as early as Sept. 18 in 1971, and as late as Nov. 22 in 1934.
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