Published: April 05, 2009 10:45 pm      

Heed the cold

Cold front moving through north Ga.

Birds are chirping, bees are starting to buzz and flowers are in bloom. Spring is here.

But it may not feel much like spring the next few days as a cold front moves through north Georgia, bringing unseasonably cool temperatures and the possibility of snow flurries.

Highs today are expected to be in the low 50s, but strong winds will make it feel even cooler outside, said Jessica Fieux, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Peachtree City.

There’s a 40 percent chance of a winter mix Monday night and early Tuesday morning, Fieux said. Snow flurries are expected, but only higher elevations may see accumulation, she said.

The low Monday night is expected to be near 30 degrees. Tuesday’s high is expected to be in the upper 40s, and Tuesday’s low is expected to be in the mid 20s.

Spring and early summer plants that have begun to bloom may be damaged or killed the next few nights unless precautions are taken to protect them, said Joyce Davis, general manager of The Rosewood Garden Center.

Plants in hanging baskets or pots should be brought indoors, Davis said. Flowers, shrubs and flowering trees can be protected by covering them, she said.

“Use paper or sheets,” Davis said. “We never suggest covering something in plastic... It will burn the foliage. I’ve found, in the past, fitted sheets are easier. Put rocks on the corners to hold it to the ground.”

Paper bags or plastic buckets will also work in protecting plants from a possible frost, she said.

A frost “won’t kill most plants, but not covering them will forfeit the blooms this year,” Davis said. “Any vegetables (that do not grow underground, such as potatoes) will have to be replanted if they are not covered.”

People should remember not to plant spring or summer flowers or vegetables that grow above ground until after April 15 to avoid a frost, Davis said.

By Wednesday, the highs are expected to return to the lower 60s with lows in the lower 40s. Thursday’s high is expected to be in the low 70s. The average temperature for the first of April is 68 and the average low is 48.