Fall is in full swing in the Wilmington area, and temperatures are starting to cool down accordingly. While daily temperature highs are still hitting the high 60s or above, mornings have been consistently chilly.
With winter coming up on the horizon, it remains to be seen if Wilmington will see uncharacteristic snow like it did last winter.
But temperatures will certainly reach freezing at some point.
What causes frost?
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Frost is similar to dew in that both involve the water vapor in the atmosphere changing form at night due to objects or the ground cooling down, according to National Geographic. The difference being, when the temperatures reach freezing, that moisture becomes the more solid form of frost rather than the liquid form of dew.
What temperature is freezing?
Water freezes at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius.
When will Wilmington, NC, see its first frost in 2025?
The National Weather Service in Wilmington provides yearly data on when temperatures first dipped below freezing.
Since 1965, the first frost of the year happened on average on Nov. 18.
The earliest frost in that time period was on Oct. 22 in 2000. The latest occured on Dec. 18 in 1975.
As of Oct. 27, the lowest temperature this fall occured on Oct. 25, when the low hit 42 degrees.
Other predictions for winter in Wilmington
The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicted “some snowy surprises” for Southeastern North Carolina this year.
Last winter, Wilmington saw its first significant snowfall in seven years, receiving up to 5 inches of snow in areas across the region.
While overall precipitation is predicted to be below normal, the almanac is forecasting above-average snowfall in eastern North Carolina, with the snowiest time in mid-December.
