Parts of Central Coast prepare for freeze warning

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) Low temperatures are expected Monday and Tuesday night, prompting parts of Monterey and San Benito counties to prepare for a freeze warning.

Temperatures could dip as low as the mid 20s in some parts, which could create frosty conditions and ice over car windshields, something residents aren’t used to on the Central Coast.

“It’s never happened to me here, but I’d put a little hot water on it. When I used to live up in Arnold where it snowed, we would put hot water on it and let it set. the hot water seemed to work well," said Linda Mancuso, a Salinas resident. "It gave us enough time to scrape it off.”

While some swear by this method, one auto mechanic told KION this could shatter the glass due to the extreme temperature change.

Instead to remove ice from your windshield, follow a few simple steps: start the engine, set the heater to defrost, move the temperature control to full heat and let that go for several minutes. Then use an ice scraper or credit card to get the frost off.

While it may be tempting to only scrape off a small portion of the ice on the drivers side, make sure to scrape the whole windshield for better visibility and safety.

But these conditions aren’t just troublesome for drivers; plants can also be affected. Frosty temperatures can kill certain types of plants

“It basically freezes the cell and the cells explode and die," said Jeff Nilsen, the owner of Bokay Nursery in Salinas.

Bokay Nursery owner Jeff Nilsen recommends a few lines of defense to protect your plants:
1. wilt stop spray to coat the plants for protection
2. frost cloth placed around plants
3. make sure your plants are watered in the afternoon or after sunrise

Citrus trees, like lemons and oranges are sensitive to the frost but there’s a simple way you can protect these fruit trees. Nilsen said all you have to do is grab a string of Christmas lights and wrap them around the branches.

“Good old fashioned Christmas lights. Not the led lights. they give off heat,” Nilsen said.

As for the fields, those that have underground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above ground pipes to protect them from freezing, according to Monterey County.

There’s also a freeze watch for Tuesday night so expect similar conditions.