BLADEN COUNTY — A freeze watch has been issued for Bladen and surrounding counties by the National Weather Service for late Tuesday night through Wednesday morning.

Tuesday night’s forecast shows 51 degrees right before sunset with temperatures quickly dropping from there, reaching the upper 30s by midnight and dropping to 30 degrees by 6 a.m., meaning that the coldest part of the night will be when many have already begun morning. Residents who have to wake up early on Wednesday should consider the temperature before leaving the house.

The watch period will extend through 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

Frost and freeze conditions are particularly dangerous for rural and agricultural communities such as Bladen. Low temperatures without proper preparation could kill or harm crops and could result in damage to any unprotected outdoor plumbing. Outdoor water pipes can freeze or burst in very low temperatures, so they should be drained, wrapped, or allowed to drip slowly.

A rule of thumb that applies to most pets (perhaps with the exceptions of animals like Huskies, who live for these types of conditions), is that if you are cold, they are cold. Outdoor pets and livestock susceptible should be provided with covered or insulated shelters to protect them from the low temperatures.

The weather alert recommends taking steps immediately to protect crops, delicate plants, pets, and livestock from the cold.

Although the freeze watch doesn’t extend through to Thursday morning, be prepared for equally frigid temperatures on Wednesday night as the low will once again drop to the low 30s or even the high 20s.