Frost In The Forecast

Time to protect your nose and your plants.

Jack Frost will be nipping over the next two mornings, with freezing temperatures forecast for parts of Hernando early Wednesday and Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Brooksville will see freezing temperatures after 3 a.m. both mornings, with forecast lows of 28 degrees on Wednesday and 30 degrees on Thursday.

But those out and about earlier tonight should bundle up, too. Winds will be heavy enough to make temperatures feel like they've already hit the freezing point, forecasters say.

The mercury won't dip quite as far in Spring Hill, but patchy frost is still forecast for Wednesday morning, with low temperatures right around freezing. Lows will sink to about 34 degrees on Thursday morning.

That's 15 degrees or more below average for this time of year, said Ernie Jillson, a forecaster at the weather service's Ruskin office.

The cold weather is cruising down from Canada, Jillson said.

It's plenty cold enough to bring in sensitive plants and break out the blankets for tropical and even sub-tropical landscaping plants and trees such as citrus, said Jim Moll, urban horticulture extension agent at the Hernando County Extension Service.

"Especially if they're young," Moll said.

Moll said he sees plenty of incorrect covering techniques. To do it properly, put in stakes around the plant, drape the covering over the plants and all the way to the ground. The goal is to keep the covering off as much of the foliage as possible to minimize contact points that cause damage during freezes, Moll said.

He suggests placing a brick or other heavy object on the cover to keep it from blowing off during the night. Moll also recommends that homeowners turn off irrigation systems on cold nights to prevent damage.

The forecast calls for sunny skies every day, so temperatures will rebound quickly, hitting the low 60s today and Wednesday and near 70 on Thursday. Textbook perfect weather is in store for Friday, with sunny skies and a high of 72.