First published Oct 18, 2026, 4:38:15 AM UTC · Last updated Oct 18, 2026, 4:38:15 AM UTC

Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 12:04AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Blacksburg VA

A Freeze Warning covered portions of northwest North Carolina, southwest and west central Virginia, and southeast West Virginia, with sub-freezing temperatures as low as 28°F expected until 9 AM EDT. The alert advised protecting tender plants and cited possible damage to crops, sensitive vegetation, and unprotected outdoor plumbing.

Illustrative image: Locality: view from Granite Mountain Memorial, Butte, Montana, USA — James St. John/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Why it matters

The warning called for action before the stated 9 AM EDT end time to protect tender plants from the expected cold.

Location

Categories: severe-weather-and-natural-disasters, environment-and-climate

Generated scores

Scores are based on the cited reporting and use a 1–10 scale. Read the methodology.

Confidence: 7/10How certain the assessment is based on the clarity and evidence in the cited reporting.
Geographic reach: 3/10How widely the event reaches, from a local area (1) to worldwide impact (10).
Global importance: 2/10The event's broader significance, from limited importance (1) to major global importance (10).
Impact magnitude: 3/10The scale or severity of the real-world impact, from minor (1) to extreme (10).
Positivity: 2/10How harmful or beneficial the event is, from strongly harmful (1) to strongly positive (10).
Urgency: 7/10How time-sensitive the event is, from low urgency (1) to immediate attention needed (10).

Primary official sources

U.S. National Weather Service Alerts NWS Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 12:04AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Blacksburg VA

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