Bundle up: Forecast calls for overnight freezes in Phoenix area

PHOENIX — Cover the plants, get your fireplace ready and grab an extra scarf: The forecast calls for the Phoenix area to see freezing overnight temperatures through Thursday.

The National Weather Service issued a freeze warning for Tuesday night — meaning sub-freezing temperatures are highly likely — and a freeze watch — freezing temperatures are possible — for Wednesday night. Temperatures for both nights are expected to bottom out near 33 degrees.

A Freeze WARNING is in effect for lower AZ deserts on Wed AM. Phoenix down to 34 deg, with colder deserts into the low-mid 20s! #azfreeze

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) December 15, 2015

The weather service said the cold could kill sensitive outdoor plants.

“A lot of people use bed sheets,” Rosie Romero, host of Rosie on the House on KTAR News 92.3 FM, said. “They do make landscape covering cloth that helps plants breathe a little bit better. That can help over the top to prevent any kind of burning.”

Romero recommended bringing outdoor pets inside and covering any exposed pipes, especially the main water line.

“Copper pipe, one-inch, coming up near the front of the home and there will be an elbow coming into the house,” he said of what the pipe looks like.

The chilly temperatures will also stick around after the sun comes up. The high each day will hover just above 50 degrees, but it appears the precipitation has moved on, at least for a couple days. Rain creeps back into the forecast on Sunday.

The latest winter weather blew into the state on Monday, dropping both rain and the mercury in Phoenix while depositing some heavy snow up north. Arizona Snowbowl in Flagstaff tweeted a total of 16 inches of snow fell.

Traffic heading north on Interstate 17 was stopped the closer it got to Flagstaff, the state highway transportation department said. The standstill was about 40 miles south the area and State Route 89A through Oak Creek Canyon was closed.

All problems were resolved by Tuesday morning.

A look at I-17 near Flagstaff and SR 89A north of Sedona. No reported problems; watch for slippery spots. pic.twitter.com/4SHUTcLg0e

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) December 15, 2015

That said, the forecast predicts no rain or snow on I-17 today. Black ice always a concern. https://t.co/8az9IWntv9

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) December 15, 2015

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