Although it might feel weird, seeing snowflakes fall when you haven’t even had time yet to sip on the first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season, some parts of the US are used to seeing snow and some freezes before we have even had leaves fall.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has already issued winter alerts for 8 states. Although these eight states are already used to dealing with a drop in temperature by this time of the year, the NWS warns there will be an early cold air outbreak.
Where will the first snows fall in 2025?
The states affected —for now— are Alaska, the Northeast (e.g., NY, VT, NH), and Colorado. Meteorologists predict an accumulation of snow up to 6 inches —maximum.
But why are we getting snow first in Colorado and inland Alaska instead of, let’s say, New York? Well, for Alaskian areas like Chena Hot Springs and the White Mountains, October is the normal start for winter (if you hadn’t noticed before, this particular state tends to be buried in snow for months). While a maximum of 6 inches of snow is not too much (it’s the national average, wink). Mountain passes like Steese Highway suppose a risk due to slippery roads and transportation danger.
Meanwhile, snow in Colorado will first fall in the San Luis Valley. This is result of high altitude, not anomalous weather factors; after all, mountanous areas trap cold air and the precipitation becomes snow.
East Coast and New England
For this states (NY, VT, NH, MA, ME, PA) the risk is not snowfalls, but hard freezes that have none of the snowflakes pretiness, but all the shortcomings: slippery roads, busted plumbing and bad traffic. Temperatures are expected to drop to almost 20F. This is due to a a powerful polar air mass descending quickly from Canada, which is commonly the “Arctic Air Factor”.
Frost vs. Freeze
While you might usually read ‘Frost Advisory’ or ‘Freeze Warning’, those two terms are not interchangeable. A ‘Frost Advisory’ means that frost will form—meaning that the temperatures while hover around the 32º F mark. The only risk is for sensitive vegetation, such as flowers, vegetables and tender shoots which are not hardy enough yet to sustain such weather.
On the other hand, a ‘Freeze Warning’ means the temperatures drop below 32º F for an extended period of time. This can potentially mean major damage to pipes and any unprotected outdoor plumbing. A freeze warning marks the end of the growing season —apart from greenhouses— since it can successfully kill entire crops.
Prepare for the snow: Plant Edition
The forecast might be just for this week, but one bad night can provoke permanent damage. Here’s the short list to protecting your garden. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure:
If you have potted plants, move them to any unheated indoor space (it can be your garage, shed, or even near a building wall). The cold attacks their roots from all sides, and they probably won’t survive the winter if they are not fully planted on the ground (fallen foilage acts as a protective blanket).
This is why you should add a thick layer of mulch —6 to 8 inches— to insulte the roots of any rose bushes you appreciate. If you are old-school, many Victorian gardeners covered the entire bush with a sackcloth bag to fully protect the branches from the snow (you might get weird looks from the neigbours though). Another trick is using anti-frost cloths over sensitive plants in the evening… but them you have to take it off every day. Remember not to use this type of plastic directly on the foliage.