It’s cold in the Midlands and forecast says temperatures will go lower. Here’s when

Temperatures were in the mid 40s Monday and are expected to drop so low overnight that a freeze warning was issued for the Midlands.

The warning was prompted because sub-freezing temperatures as low as 28 degrees are possible overnight in the Columbia area, according to the National Weather Service.

The northwestern area of the Midlands is expected to experience the coldest temperatures on Monday night into Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service said.

Although temperatures are predicted to rise Tuesday, the freeze is expected to return overnight, the forecast shows.

Temperatures will fall below freezing as early as 3 a.m. at many locations in the Midlands, with most seeing below freezing temperatures by 5 a.m., the National Weather Service said. The Freeze Watch is issued because the cold spell is expected to last between 3 and 5 hours, with temperatures bottoming out at 26 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

While Tuesday night/Wednesday morning is expected to be the coldest time of the week, temperatures will return to freezing levels again Wednesday night, the National Weather Service said. Even lower temperatures are possible as the forecast for Wednesday night gets clearer.

No precipitation is in the forecast Monday through Thursday, removing the chances of snow, freezing rain or sleet.

But the sub-freezing weather allows for the chance of patchy to widespread frost in the Midlands, according to the National Weather Service.

Frost can kill any sensitive outdoor vegetation that’s left uncovered, and people will want to bring pets indoors, according to the National Weather Service.

Should temperatures drop into the freezing range, Midlands residents might need to cover pipes and outdoor water spigots to protect them from bursting.

The weather is expected to warm significantly by Friday, returning to the 70s, the forecast shows. Along with the higher temperatures, rain is possible Friday afternoon into the night, according to the forecast.