Winter weather
First freeze of fall: Birmingham at 32 Friday night, Charlotte Saturday night
By Ryan Hall, Y'all Weather Desk · Published
Written by our automated news desk from National Weather Service data.
Birmingham is forecast to fall to 32 degrees Friday night and again Saturday night, Nov. 14, while Charlotte reaches 32 Saturday night. If the forecasts hold, those would be their first freezes of the fall. Nashville drops to around 28 Saturday night, Huntsville to 30 and Chattanooga to 31, while Atlanta at 33 and Montgomery at 34 remain above freezing.
Key points
- Where: Nashville, Huntsville, Chattanooga, Birmingham and Charlotte are forecast to drop to 32 or colder. Atlanta and Montgomery stay just above freezing.
- When: Saturday night, Nov. 14, into early Sunday, Nov. 15. Nashville and Birmingham are forecast to reach freezing or colder Friday night.
- What: Lows of about 28 in Nashville, 30 in Huntsville, 31 in Chattanooga, and 32 in Birmingham and Charlotte.
- What it means: Time to protect tender plants, outdoor pipes and pets before Friday evening.
The first freeze of the fall is forecast in Birmingham Friday night and Charlotte Saturday night, Nov. 14, with lows around 32 degrees Fahrenheit; Nashville falls near 28 degrees Saturday night. Neither Birmingham nor Charlotte has hit 32 yet this season, and their coldest mornings so far were 37 and 40.
The cold comes in behind a coastal low as chilly Canadian high pressure settles over the region. Forecast lows are below freezing from Nashville through the Tennessee Valley. Birmingham and Charlotte sit right around 32.
Where the freeze lands
The map shows the coldest air Saturday night, with the freeze line reaching into central Alabama and the Carolina Piedmont. Nashville is the coldest of our big cities at about 28. Birmingham is forecast near 31 or 32, and Charlotte near 32.
Birmingham's forecast calls for widespread frost. Friday night is already at or below freezing, with a low of 32 forecast there and 30 in Nashville. So both cities may see their first freeze a night early.
Atlanta is forecast at 33 Saturday night, and Montgomery at 34. Those city forecasts remain above freezing.
How the cities stack up
Nashville has bottomed out at 34 so far this season, Birmingham at 37 and Charlotte at 40. All three have a decent drop coming. Saturday night is the coldest of the stretch for most of the region, so the lows are the main number to watch.
Nashville, Huntsville and Chattanooga are forecast below freezing Saturday night. Birmingham and Charlotte are forecast right around 32, and Birmingham's forecast calls for widespread frost.
What to do
- Bring in or cover tender plants before Friday evening. Cover them with a sheet or blanket, not plastic touching the leaves.
- Protect outdoor faucets and irrigation lines, especially in Nashville and the Tennessee Valley.
- Bring pets in and check on outdoor animals' water and shelter.
- Plan for frosty windshields Sunday morning, so give yourself a few extra minutes.
- Get an alert if the forecast shifts. You can sign up for free Y'all Alerts. Our winter storm outlook shows the little bit of light snow in the central Appalachians Saturday, but it stays minor.
Bottom line
Birmingham and Nashville may see their first freeze Friday night. Saturday night, Nov. 14, brings lows of about 28 in Nashville, 30 in Huntsville, 31 in Chattanooga, and 32 in Birmingham and Charlotte, so cover the garden before the cold arrives.
| Value | Note | |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 28°F | Friday night 30. Season low so far 34. |
| Huntsville | 30°F | Friday night 32 |
| Chattanooga | 31°F | Friday night 33 |
| Birmingham | 32°F | Friday night 32. Season low so far 37. |
| Charlotte | 32°F | Friday night 36. Season low so far 40. |
| Atlanta | 33°F | Friday night 36 |
| Montgomery | 34°F | Friday night 35 |
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Places in this story: Birmingham, AL; Charlotte, NC; Nashville, TN; Huntsville, AL; Chattanooga, TN; Atlanta, GA; Montgomery, AL
Sources
- NWS National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD), National Weather Service
- NWS point forecasts, National Weather Service
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS station records, NOAA Regional Climate Centers (ACIS)