It's been spring for more than three weeks, but winterlike temperatures are returning to a large swath of Arkansas beginning tonight.
The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for a number of counties in central, northern and western Arkansas, including Pulaski County.
Dan Koch, a meteorologist with the weather service in North Little Rock, said temperatures late Monday night into Tuesday morning will dip into the upper 20s in parts of Northwest Arkansas and hover at or around the freezing mark for points farther south.
"I know a lot of people have already set out some garden plants this time of year," Koch said. "They're going to need to have some protection for those sensitive plants ... And a lot of people winterize their homes or mobile homes and things like that. They need to make sure they still have that protection in place."
Temperatures will warm during the day, but another cold night is expected Tuesday into Wednesday.
Koch said the forecast is currently for slightly warmer overnight lows, but that may be reevaluated.
"I do have some concerns that it's going to be clear skies and calm winds, which typically bring the coldest temperatures," Koch said.
Subfreezing temperatures this late in the year aren't "completely out of climatological normals," Koch said, noting it happens every few years or so.