Autumn frost and freeze and leaf change outlook

For the Georgia mountains the first frost and freeze of the Autumn is a ALREADY LATE this year, and it is LIKELY TO BE LATE for most of our Northern and Western suburbs which usually get down to 32 by Halloween.

There is currently no sign of frost or freeze into early November.

For much of the METRO ATLANTA area each year, on average, your risk of frost is from October 24 through April 12.

Almost certainly, however, you will receive frost from November 7 through March 30.

You are almost guaranteed that you will not get frost from April 24 through October 10.

So your frost-free growing season is around 195 days.

Again, these are area averages and specific locations vary by how far North or South you are in the Metro and how close you are to the “Urban Heat Island”-- the warming effect of the big city of Atlanta. Downtown to Hartsfield airport are often 5-10 degrees warmer than the outer suburbs in the early morning.

Keep in mind that FROST and Freeze are not the same thing.

Under a clear sky with no wind and enough moisture you can get FROST on the ground or rooftops and cars with a morning low temperature as high as 39F although it is more likely around 37F.

Obviously A FREEZE requires a low temperature of 32F or lower. A HARD FREEZE is considered a morning low of 28F or lower.