Arctic blast to plunge Northeast into subfreezing temperatures, triggering freeze warnings

A rapid Arctic air mass is forecast to sweep the Northeast overnight, delivering a sharp temperature plunge that will push many areas into the 20s Fahrenheit by early Saturday. The National Weather Service has issued freeze warnings for New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, and frost advisories for a broader swath as temperatures drop between roughly 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. ET on Saturday.

Officials warned that temperatures below 32°F for an extended period can damage crops and outdoor vegetation, and that prolonged periods below 28°F can kill many residential plants left outdoors. The freeze warnings cover six counties in Maine, three counties in northern New York, Vermont's Essex County and New Hampshire's Coos County. In total, roughly 100,000 people in the affected area were told to take precautions, while more than 500,000 Americans in the Northeast will be under frost advisory conditions overnight.

Forecasters said the cold blast will not bring precipitation, and AccuWeather attributed the drop to a Canadian high-pressure system pushing southward. The National Weather Service noted that temperatures in these four states are expected to remain unseasonably low heading into Saturday night and Sunday morning, indicating the freeze alert could be extended for another day in some locations.

To protect property during the freeze, authorities recommended covering sensitive plants with blankets, tarps, frost cloths or sheets. Home and business owners were advised to wrap outdoor pipes or sprinkler lines with insulation or heat tape, or at minimum to wrap them with towels, blankets or bubble wrap and secure with duct tape. People in the affected areas should also turn off and drain outdoor faucets, hoses and sprinkler systems, and open valves to allow standing water to drain completely. When water in unprotected pipes freezes, the ice expands and can burst the pipe, leading to leaks, flooding or costly damage.

Temperatures are expected to rebound as the weekend progresses, with the front easing as fall arrives on Monday and temperatures rising back into the upper 60s in many areas. While Northeastern cities may escape a direct freeze on Friday night, the early-season chill underscores the broader risk to crops and outdoor vegetation in the region.

Looking beyond this immediate cold snap, the Old Farmer's Almanac’s 2025-2026 US Winter Weather Forecast suggests Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York are likely to have a milder and drier winter overall. The Almanac also indicates that colder, wetter weather could shift further south later in the season, affecting states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. Officials stressed that these forecasts are long-range indicators and should be considered in planning rather than as guarantees.

Residents and communities in the affected area are urged to monitor local advisories as conditions evolve and to prepare for potential property damage and agricultural losses if cold snaps persist.