Northern Minnesota residents should prepare for an early blast of cold, with a freeze warning in effect from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. Sunday across Koochiching and St. Louis counties. Overnight lows could dip to 30 degrees, threatening crops, gardens, and outdoor plumbing.
According to the National Weather Service in Duluth, the warning covers Hibbing, Ely, International Falls, and surrounding tribal lands of the Bois Forte Band near Lake Vermilion and Nett Lake. The alert also includes Voyageurs National Park and the western Boundary Waters region.
Cold-sensitive plants and late-season crops are especially vulnerable. Residents are urged to cover gardens, move potted plants indoors, and protect exposed pipes before temperatures bottom out overnight. Farmers and gardeners in rural areas may see frost forming well before sunrise.
Travelers in the Boundary Waters and Voyageurs should prepare for cold camping conditions, with frost expected to blanket the ground at daybreak.
The freeze warning is set to expire by 8 a.m. Sunday, but officials note that additional warnings may be issued if clear skies and calm winds continue into early next week.
