The Real Difference Between a Frost Advisory and a Freeze Warning

We're getting into that time of year when, instead of walking out to a windshield covered in morning dew, it'll be covered with some morning frost.

Fall is our transition from the warm summer to the cold of winter. Luckily, it's not a quick process; it takes a few weeks. We won't fall into the deep freeze for a little bit, hopefully.

October mornings are when Sioux Falls starts to wake up to announcements about Frost Advisories and Freeze Warnings from the experts at the National Weather Service.

You may be like me; you've heard those terms for years, but while you get what's going on, you may not know exactly what those weather alerts mean.

RELATED: When Does Sioux Falls Usually Get Its First Snow?

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What is a Frost Advisory?

The first sign that fall is making the change usually comes with a Frost Advisory. The National Weather Service issues a Frost Advisory when overnight temperatures are going to dip to around freezing, 32 degrees.

These advisories are issued during the growing season when we first start seeing it get that cold in the early morning. They are a heads-up that if you have plants outside, you may want to bring them in.

What is a Freeze Warning?

As with other advisories issued by the National Weather Service, a 'warning' means that whatever is warned about will happen. And a Freeze Warning means that we can expect temperatures overnight to drop below freezing (32 Degrees).

These advisories are only issued in fall or spring as the growing season ends or begins. Once we start freezing most overnights, that means the growing season is over. Or in the spring, when the season starts.

Flashback: The Halloween Blizzard of 1991

Watches, Warnings, and advisories are issued by the National Weather Service when there is important weather information that needs to be seen by as many people as possible. It's information that we use to plan out days and weeks.