Freeze, frost possible in Columbia later this week

Temperatures in the Midlands will be near freezing late Saturday and early Sunday, stressing the plants put out by impatient gardeners the last few weeks.

Those gardeners knew they were tempting fate. Freezing temperatures this late in the year aren’t rare. Four of the past seven years have had freezing temperatures March 27 or later, including April 16 in 2008.

This late March cold snap could drop temperatures in the Midlands into the upper 30s Friday night and the lower 30s Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service forecast. As usual, the northern areas of the region should be a degree or two colder. Columbia is expected to stay just above freezing, but still cold enough to leave frost on the ground Sunday morning.

Even if the temperature stays above freezing Saturday night, the chance of a late freeze will be far from over. The latest freeze on record in Columbia was April 24 in 1986.

This story was originally published March 24, 2015 at 11:31 AM.