Freeze Warning, Hour-by-Hour Temps: Virginia Weather Forecast

Brace yourself, Northern Virginia, another freezing cold sucker punch from Mother Nature is headed our way tonight.

For another night, much of the region will be under a freeze warning starting at 11 p.m. until 9 a.m. Wednesday, says the National Weather Service. Overnight lows will drop into the upper 20s in some parts of the region.

With teeth-chattering low temperatures below freezing, it’s hard to remember it’s spring.

The Weather Service warns unprotected vegetation sensitive to freezing temperatures will be killed or damaged. Scroll down for tips on protecting your plants.

Here's the hour-by-hour wind chill, or 'feels like' temperature today and overnight.

Noon: 31 degrees

1 p.m.: 33 degrees

2 p.m.: 35 degrees

3 p.m.: 37 degrees

4 p.m.: 40 degrees

6 p.m.: 38 degrees

7 p.m.: 36 degrees

8 p.m.: 35 degrees

9 p.m.: 32 degrees

10 p.m.: 31 degrees

11 p.m.: 30 degrees

Midnight: 29 degrees

1 a.m.: 27 degrees

2 a.m.: 25 degrees

3 a.m.: 24 degrees

5 a.m.: 23 degrees

6 a.m.: 22 degrees

8 a.m.: 24 degrees

Protect Your Plants

Here are some steps you can take when a frost or freeze threatens, according to TodaysHomeowner.com.

Bring Indoors: Frost-tender plants in containers should be brought inside during cold weather.Dig up tender bulbsand store them in a cool dry place.

Water Plants: Water plants thoroughly before a freeze to prevent desiccation and to add insulating water to the soil and plant cells.

Protect Tender Sprouts: Cover tender plants overnight with an inverted bucket or flower pot, or with a layer ofmulch. Be sure to uncover them in the morning when the temperature rises above freezing.

Cover Shrubs and Trees: Larger plants can be covered with fabric, old bed sheets, burlap, or commercial frost cloths (avoid using plastic). For best results, drape the cover over a frame to keep it from touching the foliage. Fabric covers help to trap heat from the soil, so make sure your cover drapes to the ground. Uncover them in the morning when the temperature rises above freezing.

Assess Losses: Hardy perennials, trees, and shrubs may recover from a late spring freeze, even if visibly damaged. Their blooms and fruit may be lost for the year, but once they begin actively growing you’ll be able to determine and remove any permanent damage to stems and branches. Frost-tender plants will not recover at all, so avoid planting them until you’re confident that freezing weather has passed.

Practice Prevention: Choose plants that are hardy for your climate zone, or plant tender plants in containers that can be brought indoors. Avoid applying fertilizer until after the last frost, to prevent a flush of tender growth that can be damaged by the cold.

(Photo via Flickr/PermaCultured)