Frost in the Cedar Falls Forecast - How and When to Protect Your Plants

Frost is in the forecast, with a frost warnining issued for overnight tonight for Black Hawk County, with cold temperatures projected for overnight Tuesday as well.

To be on the safe side insulate those early emerging and blooming plants against the harsh weather. Gardening gurus advise against using plastic because foliage could freeze against it. Instead, use sheets, blankets or inverted buckets over tender young foliage.

What's the best way to protect tender young plants that emerged early this year? Tell us in the comments.

Here’s what the National Weather Service forecasters tell you to expect this week:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 56. Windy, with a northwest wind between 20 and 24 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph.

Tonight: Areas of frost after 3 a.m. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 26. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 15 to 18 mph decreasing to between 6 and 9 mph. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph.

Tuesday: Areas of frost before 8 a.m. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 51. Windy, with a north northwest wind 7 to 10 mph increasing to between 18 and 21 mph. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph.

Tuesday Night: Areas of frost after 4 a.m. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 27. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 15 to 18 mph decreasing to between 7 and 10 mph. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

Wednesday: Areas of frost before 7 a.m. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 55. North northwest wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30.

Thursday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms, then a chance of showers after 1 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 60.

Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.

Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67.

Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54.

Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68.