Freeze watch issued for Modesto. How cold will it get? Should you cover your plants?
Parts of the San Joaquin Valley will be under a freeze watch this weekend, including Modesto, according to the National Weather Service.
The watch, which the NWS issued around 1 a.m. Friday, will be in effect from 2 to 9 a.m. Saturday and 2 to 9 a.m. Sunday.
The weather service issues freeze watches when temperatures may get near or below freezing.
A wind advisory will be in effect for northern San Joaquin Valley until 1 p.m. Friday, the NWS said.
The agency predicted 15 to 25 mph winds in the valley, with gusts up to 45 mph.
Here’s the forecast for Modesto, and how to prepare your home for chilly temperatures:
What’s the weather forecast for Modesto?
Modesto will see sunny weather on Friday, with a high near 59 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
Northwest winds are predicted to be between 10 and 13 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.
Friday night will be clear with a low around 38 degrees and west-northwest winds around 6 mph.
Saturday is also expected to be sunny, with a high near 59 degrees, the NWS said. There will be northwest winds around 7 mph.
Saturday night will be mostly clear with a low around 37 degrees and northwest wind between 3 and 5 mph, according to the agency.
The weather service is predicting areas of frost in Modesto on Sunday between 5 and 8 a.m.
That will be followed by sunny skies with a high near 59 degrees and northwest winds around 6 mph.
Sunday night will be mostly clear with a low around 35 degrees, the NWS said.
Areas of frost were also expected Monday between 4 and 8 a.m., with Sunday, followed by sunny weather with a high near 59 degrees.
Monday night will be mostly clear with a low around 36 degrees.
Modesto may also see areas of frost between 5 and 8 a.m. Tuesday. The day will become sunny with a high near 59 degrees.
How do I prepare my home for cold weather?
Cover outdoor plants. Steps should be taken now to protect outside plants from the cold, according to the National Weather Service. Sheets, blankets, towels or cardboard boxes can be used.
Protect your pipes. You should let warm water drip from your faucet overnight — preferably from a faucet on an outside wall — to prevent them from freezing, according to the California Water Service.
Covering swimming pools is not necessary. You may choose to cover your pool to prevent dirt and debris from collecting in the water, according to Royal Swimming Pools, but you don’t have to cover it to prevent it from freezing over.
Do not use your oven as a heat source. Using your oven to heat your home is ineffective and dangerous, according to Stanislaus County’s Extreme Cold/Freeze Contingency Plan. There is an increased risk of carbon monoxide poisoning when leaving your oven open. Children and pets could also be severely burned.
Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Look for discoloration of the skin, numbness or waxy skin as symptoms of frostbite. Confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and shivering are signs of hypothermia, according to the county’s contingency plan.
This story was originally published November 24, 2023 at 11:41 AM.
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