BATON ROUGE — After days of spring-like warmth across south Louisiana, winter is making a brief return. A surge of cold air moving across the state is expected to bring a light freeze to the Baton Rouge area overnight, prompting weather experts and horticulture specialists to advise residents to take precautions — especially for newly planted gardens and sensitive plants.
State Climatologist Jay Grymes says the temperature swing is dramatic, with highs dropping sharply from the 70s and 80s earlier in the week.
“Yesterday highs were in the 70s, near 80,” Grymes explained. “Today a lot of neighborhoods are going to struggle to get into the low 50s. Tonight, a cold air mass comes racing through, and the wind isn’t helping either.”
According to Grymes, the freeze line is expected to reach much of Louisiana.
“It looks like a light freeze across most of the state,” he said. “Probably only some of the coastal parishes will dodge a freeze.”
While the colder temperatures will be noticeable, Grymes says the event should be short-lived.
“This is going to be a relatively brief freeze — just one night,” he said. “As we get into tomorrow, we’ll start another warm-up. It’s not a pipe-wrapper type of freeze, but given the warm weather we’ve had recently, people with tender plants should be ready.”
What Fell from the Sky Wasn’t Sleet
As the cold system moved in, some residents reported seeing small icy pellets falling from the sky. Grymes says the precipitation wasn’t sleet, but something less common called graupel.
“For sleet to form, you’ve got to have freezing temperatures near the ground, and we weren’t anywhere near that,” Grymes said. “What we saw was graupel — basically snowflakes that fall through the atmosphere and pick up supercooled water droplets that freeze around the snowflake.”
Unlike sleet, which forms when melted snow refreezes into small ice pellets, graupel appears softer and has a milky, icy coating around a snowflake.
“In reality, there’s not a huge difference to most people,” Grymes added. “But the formation mechanism and the appearance are different.”
Protecting Plants from the Freeze
The bigger concern for many residents in south Louisiana is what the overnight freeze and future potential freezes could mean for early spring gardens.
Ashley Pereira, an LSU AgCenter horticulture expert, says gardeners should take precautions — especially if they have recently planted vegetables or have tropical plants outdoors.
“Right now, we do want you to go ahead and cover any plants, especially if you’ve just planted smaller plants in your vegetable garden,” Pereira said.
She recommends several simple ways to protect plants:
- Cover plants with frost cloth.
- Use five-gallon buckets, terracotta pots, or sheets to trap heat.
- Move container plants inside or place against a south-facing wall.
- Ensure coverings touch the ground to hold warmth around the plant.
“Tropicals should be brought inside if possible,” Pereira added. “If you can’t move them, covering them well with frost cloth will help protect them.”
When Is It Safe to Plant in South Louisiana?
Many gardeners in the Baton Rouge area begin planting around mid-March, but Pereira says this late-season freeze is a reminder that patience can be helpful.
“Usually we say around March 15th to check the forecast,” Pereira said. “If you don’t see any freezes coming up in the next couple of weeks, you’re good to go.”
Because of the current cold snap, she recommends waiting a little longer.
“With the freeze we’re having tonight, I’d say give it another week,” Pereira said. “Look again at the forecast next weekend. If temperatures are consistently above freezing, then we should be good to plant — especially here in south Louisiana.”
Young plants that were recently purchased or planted are the most vulnerable to freeze damage.
“A lot of people are buying smaller plants right now, and those are going to be very susceptible to freeze injury,” Pereira said.
A Quick Return to Spring
Despite the chilly night ahead, the cold weather won’t last long. Forecasts show temperatures rebounding quickly after the freeze, bringing warmer conditions back to the region.
For now, experts say a little preparation can go a long way.
“Most vegetation, especially non-tropical plants, will probably be fine,” Grymes said. “But if you’ve got really tender plants, throwing a sheet over them for the night is a good idea.”
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