An arctic blast of cold air is expected over the next week hitting our area.  Low temperatures over the next several days is expected to be in the 30s and hitting below freezing on Tuesday.  Winds are also expected to be high so the wind chill or “feel like” temperatures will be several degrees lower.

With this forecast, residents should consider freeze protecting your homes.  This includes:

• Disconnecting hoses from outside faucets.
• Wrap newspaper around your irrigation sprinkler back flow devices if you have one.
• Cover outside faucets with insulating foam covers.
• Insulate exposed pipes with foam pipe insulation.
• Use a hair dryer, heat lamp, electric heat tape, or a portable space heater to thaw frozen pipes that have not burst.

Cold intolerant plants can die very quickly in cold weather.  Also, remember to cover your landscaping if it cannot withstand these low temperatures.

• Protecting Palm Trees – Palm trees need special protection during a frost or hard freeze. The trunk of the palm tree does not generally require any sort of protection, but the palm tree’s heart must be protected.  The palm tree heart is located at the top of the trunk; it’s the point where all new foliage originates. To protect a palm tree during a frost, fabric should be wrapped around the heart and as much foliage as possible should be covered as well.
• Potted Plants – Potted plants are particularly susceptible to cold damage due to the lack of insulation around the roots. It’s best to bring potted plants indoors if freezing weather is predicted. For plants that are too large to bring indoors, there are a few options. The plant’s foliage can be covered or wrapped with sheets or blankets and a towel can be wrapped around the pot to prevent root damage. Another option to protect plants from the cold involves relocating them to a garage or shed.
• Large Landscaping – Cover the plant’s foliage with sheets or blankets.  If the freeze is expected to last more than a couple of hours, you may want to consider putting a heater near the plants.

Finally, don’t forget to bring in your pets during the night or freezing weather