Winter Storm Warning Issued as Heavy Snow, 50-Degree Temperature Drop Approach

It felt like spring for a moment in April, but the National Weather Service is back to issuing winter storm warnings and watches, including frost-freeze warnings, due to rapidly dropping temperatures, some plunging 50 degrees.

Millions of Americans in the Midwest and Northeast are dealing with a weather whiplash, as temperatures went from balmy, summer-like 70s and 80s last week to lows in the 30s, 40s and 50s this week. The cold front is here to stay for a while, too, so if you packed away those winter sweaters and coats, it's time to get them back out again.

Temperature Drops as Much as 50 Degrees Expected for the Midwest and Northeast on Tuesday, April 21, and Into the Week

According to research from the weather experts at AccuWeather, temperatures are dropping quickly within a 24-48 hour period, making for rapid weather shifts. They note that while it won't last for weeks, even a short amount of time with these dipping temperatures could bring "damaging consequences" and snowfall, even heavy snow in isolated areas.

"The dramatic temperature drop will lead to widespread frost and freeze conditions, especially away from the immediate lakeshores of the Great Lakes and across the interior Northeast," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Brett Anderson stated. He added that they're looking at another cold morning on Tuesday, April 21.

"Expect a widespread hard freeze, with much of interior New England, upstate New York and parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia dropping into the 20s," Anderson also said. Some areas of the Northeast will even dip down into the teens.

In a statement provided to Men's Journal, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tyler Roys said, "This is not just a light frost concern. Some areas could experience a hard freeze, which can be devastating for early-season vegetation. Growers and gardeners should take protective steps where possible to limit losses."

Those in large, urban areas are escaping the cold, though, with meteorologists stating that major cities in Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts will "likely be spared damaging freezes due to urban heat island effects."

Protecting Your Plants From a Freeze Warning

With areas across the country heading into a period of frost, it's important to keep plants safe during these unexpected periods of cold weather.

The Farmer's Almanac states to keep an eye on the weather, because the sooner you know of a temperature fluctuation, the more you can prepare for it. To protect those plants, the best thing to do is to cover them, and there are different ways to do so.

"Of course, the primary way to protect plants from frosts is to cover them with a blanket or row cover," they state. "This material traps the heat to keep plants warmer. It's worth the time to cover your crops because sometimes an early freeze is a freak incident, and there are many days of great weather to follow."

They add to put on covers in the early evening as winds come down and to take the coverings off when temperatures rise the next day. The positive news is that when the danger of a frost or freeze subsides into May and June, you won't have to keep an eye on those plants as much.