California is bracing for a frigid week as the National Weather Service (NWS) issued Freeze Warnings and Watches for various regions across the state.
Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 28°F are expected in the interior Central Coast and Eastern Santa Clara Hills, with the warning active from 1:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. PT Tuesday. A Freeze Watch remains in effect from late Tuesday night through Thursday morning.
In addition, Freeze Warnings have been issued for parts of the San Joaquin Valley, Southern California, and other regions, including Ojai Valley and Santa Barbara County’s Central Coast.
Icicles cling to the eaves of a roof in Shaver Lake, Calif., in the Sierra Nevada foothills outside Fresno, November 26, 2015. Icicles cling to the eaves of a roof in Shaver Lake, Calif., in the Sierra Nevada foothills outside Fresno, November 26, 2015. John Walker/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Why It Matters
The plunging temperatures pose significant risks for people, animals and plants across the affected areas. The risk of hypothermia is particularly concerning for unhoused individuals and those without proper heating.
Residents are urged to take precautions to protect plants, pets and exposed plumbing from freezing temperatures.
What to Know
The regions affected by the freeze warnings and watches include the interior Central Coast, Eastern Santa Clara Hills, San Joaquin Valley, Ojai Valley and Santa Barbara County.
The Freeze Warning will be in effect from 1:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. PT Tuesday, with sub-freezing temperatures expected to drop as low as 28°F in some areas.
A Freeze Watch follows, beginning late Tuesday night and continuing through Thursday morning, where temperatures could reach lows of 30°F.
Freeze Warnings are issued when temperatures are expected to drop below 32°F for an extended period, a level that can severely harm or kill certain types of commercial crops and residential plants. The NWS advises people to take action when a Freeze Warning is in place.
On the other hand, Freeze Watches are issued when there is a potential for widespread freezing temperatures within the next 24-36 hours. Residents are advised to be prepared under Freeze Warning conditions.
The risk of hypothermia is heightened for people consuming alcohol as it causes blood vessels in the extremities to dilate, resulting in added heat loss, according to AccuWeather. Others who are at risk include people with preexisting vascular conditions, the homeless and the elderly.
Symptoms of hypothermia include red skin, tingling sensations in the extremities and a core body temperature below 95 degrees.
The best way to prevent hypothermia is to cover all exposed parts of the body when spending exposed time outdoors.
It’s going to be cold out there tonight. The image below shows the probability of temperatures dropping below 32° across our area. Click here (https://t.co/G99OIN0YeG) to see the forecast close to you and whether you’re in a Freeze Warning or Frost Advisory. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/2dRZyxbdCt — NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) January 28, 2025
What People Are Saying
The NWS Bay Area posted on X (formerly Twitter):
