DENVER — The National Weather Service has issued a freeze watch for Saturday morning which includes the northeast plains and parts of western Weld County and eastern Adams and Arapahoe counties. It will be possible for some areas to drop down into the upper 20s by sunrise.
Freeze watches and warnings are centered around agriculture, that’s why they only get issued in the early fall or late spring when crops are alive. But this cold could impact everyone. The coldest temperatures are expected along the South Platte River Basin, or near the northern state line.
This cold snap would put an end to backyard garden season as many of the uncovered plants in those areas will freeze. Sensitive flowers and porch-side plants need to be covered or brought inside.
The temperature in the Denver area could even reach freezing on Saturday morning however the lowest temperature shown in a series of computer simulations is 36 degrees.
The average first freeze in Denver is Oct. 7, so that would be fitting if it should happen Saturday. But if it doesn’t reach freezing, it will still be the coldest air of the season so far.
It hasn’t even dropped below 40 degrees in Denver in 149 days as of Thursday – the 10th longest streak in history.
Sprinkler systems
While plants need to be cared for, it is not yet necessary to shut down sprinklers on the Front Range, if you still have a green lawn. Root growth is critical in the fall months, so water is essential during this time of year. You don't want turf too dried out before the deep cold of winter comes.
It takes an extended deep freeze to damage pipes several inches underground. But if you do choose to leave them on, you will have to cover the backflow preventer which is the part that sticks up out of the ground. And if you shut your system down, you will have to commit to hand watering until the grass truly goes into dormancy.
Normally sprinkler systems get shut down around Halloween or the first week of November. There are no alarming temperatures showing in the extended forecasts from the American or European computer models which go through Oct. 20.
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