The hard freeze felt across much of east central and northeast Nebraska the morning of Oct. 13 marks the second major freeze event of the month. The first, on Oct. 6, primarily impacted western Nebraska. Between these two events, 38 of the 56 listed locations (Table 1) reported minimum temperatures of 28ºF or lower which quantifies as a hard freeze. 

Fifteen locations have received a hard freeze, but experienced frost conditions as lows dropped into the 29-32°F range. Even though these Mesonet stations failed to reach 28°F or lower, it is likely that pockets of hard freeze conditions developed near these locations, especially in areas susceptible to cold air drainage (river valleys and the bottom of large hills). The only area of the state not experiencing widespread frost and freeze conditions was southeast Nebraska south and east of Lincoln.

It appears that the next best chance for freezing temperatures will be late next week (Oct. 20-22) as another system ejects out of the Pacific Northwest and strengthens as it passes east of the central Plains region. It is projected to deepen east of Nebraska, which will allow a Canadian air mass to surge southward on the backside of the northeastward moving surface low. If the current storm track verifies, hard freeze conditions will likely impact eastern Nebraska north of I-80, with respectable odds of experiencing frost conditions across areas that have escaped this most recent event.