Plunge in temperatures triggers freeze warning for parts of Utah

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — The National Weather Service has upgraded a freeze watch to a freeze warning for much of Utah, with sub-freezing temperatures expected overnight Sunday into Monday morning.

The warning, in effect from 9 p.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Monday, covers areas including Cache Valley, eastern Box Elder County, Juab and Millard counties, Sanpete Valley, Sevier Valley, southwest Utah, and the western Uinta Basin. Forecasters said lows could dip to 26 or 27 degrees. They warned that these conditions could kill crops and other sensitive plants, and damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.

Temperatures are expected to drop significantly in these areas overnight, with lows dipping well below those recorded just 24 hours earlier in several areas. 2News spoke with a National Weather Serive meteorologist, who provided us with these statistics. Please note that the predicted temperatures are subject to change:

• Logan Airport (Cache Valley): Sunday morning’s low was 46F; tonight’s low is forecast at 32F. (14-degree drop)
• Brigham City (Box Elder County): Sunday morning’s low was 46F; Monday’s low is forecast at 35F. (11-degree drop)
• Nephi (Juab County): Sunday morning’s low was 45F; tonight’s low is expected to drop to 29F. (16-degree drop)
• Delta (Millard County): Sunday morning’s low was 43F; tonight’s low is forecast at 35F. (8-degree drop)
• No information on the Sanpete Valley
• Richfield (Sevier Valley): Sunday morning’s low was 45F; Monday’s low is expected to be 34F. (11-degree drop)
• Cedar City (Southwest Utah): Sunday morning’s low was 41F; tonight’s low is forecast at 34F. (7-degree drop)
• Duchesne (Western Uinta Basin): Sunday morning’s low was 45F; tonight’s low is expected to reach 32F. (13-degree drop)

A freeze watch was also issued for the same areas from Monday night into Tuesday morning, suggesting the cold could linger.

The Weather Service urged residents to cover plants, drain sprinkler systems, and insulate pipes ahead of the freeze.

These conditions represent a shift from what national forecasters originally predicted for Sunday through Monday, which called for slightly warmer overnight temperatures.

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