Home / Weather News /

Planning ahead: When can we expect the first frost?

16:30
15 September 2022

Planning ahead
When can we expect the first frost?

rosebud frost

With cooler air on its way from the north in the coming days, you might be wondering when we could expect the first frost of the autumn season.

The average first frost for many inland areas in the UK and Ireland is within the first ten days of November, but with some parts of Scotland up to a month earlier. Generally the further north you are, the earlier the frost.

Frost commonly forms on a clear night when the temperature of a surface, such as the ground or your car, falls below zero, and then below the dew point so that moisture can be deposited as frost.

Under clear skies and light winds, the ground temperature can drop a few degrees lower than the air temperature, though this is more difficult at the start of the season when the ground is still holding residual warmth from the summer.

Jack Frost had a bit of a head start in the Scottish Highlands in August, with a grass frost reported on a few occasions. But as for an autumn frost, there is a decent chance across parts of Scotland throughout the weekend, with overnight minimum air temperatures expected to be 1-4C quite widely.

Friday September 16th looks to be the chilliest of the coming nights, with a risk of a localised frost across northern England, particularly in sheltered spots of the Pennines, where air temperatures could get to zero. Rural spots across south-east Ireland and the Welsh mountains may also be at a slight risk.

However, with a a brisk wind expected particularly along the north and east coast, in addition to coastal areas remaining warmer than inland spots thanks to the warmth of the sea during this time of year, this lessens the chance for these areas. As for anywhere further south in England, the risk of the first frost still appears to be a while off.

Keep an eye on our TemperatureRadar in the coming days, and also for tips coming soon on how to protect your tender plants as it turns colder.

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Wednesday 15 October 2025

On this day

The Great Storm of 1987
pinecones
Tuesday 7 October 2025

Did you know?

How pine cones aid the weather forecast
Bright full moon centred in a dark night sky surrounded by wispy clouds with blue and golden hues.
Tuesday 7 October 2025

First rises tonight

Trio of supermoons to end the year
All weather news
This might also interest you
Split weather map showing the UK and Ireland. The left side illustrates strong winds circulating around a low-pressure system, with gusts of 20–30 mph highlighted in orange and yellow. The right side shows radar imagery with widespread blue rain bands and patches of thunderstorms, especially over northern England and Scotland.
Thursday 28 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Remaining widely unsettled
Sunday 24 August 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Mammatus clouds widely spotted
Weather map showing a split in north-south conditions of the UK. Scotland sees widespread cloud cover while England and Wales have clear skies.
Friday 15 August 2025

Clouds on the move

North-south split in conditions
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.ie

facebooktwitteryouTubeContact uslinkList
Privacy Policy | Legal info | Accessibility statement