Last updated: October 2026
Price County is under a Frost Advisory from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday, October 5, with the National Weather Service office in Duluth calling for temperatures as low as 33 degrees across Price, Sawyer, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, and Washburn counties.
Quick Answer: The Frost Advisory covers Price County and runs from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday. Overnight temperatures are forecast to fall to about 33 degrees, cold enough for frost to form on exposed surfaces. Gardeners should cover or bring in tender plants before dark. There is no freeze warning attached to this advisory, so the growing season is not officially over yet.
The advisory was issued at 12:56 p.m. Sunday by the Duluth forecast office, which covers Price County. It lands after a warm start to October: Tuesday is forecast to reach 70 degrees.
What the Frost Advisory Actually Says
The Duluth office lists three things in the advisory: temperatures as low as 33 degrees, frost formation, and the potential for damage to sensitive outdoor vegetation.
The practical warning is in the second sentence: “Sensitive outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered.” Frost does not need a hard freeze to do damage. Once the air near the ground drops to freezing or just above it, a thin layer of ice can form on leaf surfaces and kill tender growth outright.
How Cold Is 33 Degrees, Really?
It is a frost advisory, not a freeze warning, and the distinction matters for anyone tracking the growing season. The National Weather Service issues a frost advisory when temperatures are expected to fall into the mid-30s, cold enough to produce frost but typically not cold enough to kill a whole garden.
A freeze warning is a stronger signal. It goes out when temperatures are expected to drop to 32 degrees or lower across a broad area, and it usually means the end of the growing season for annual crops.
What Is Forecast After the Frost
Monday climbs to 59 degrees under sunny skies once the frost burns off, then drops to 44 overnight. Tuesday reaches 70 degrees, and Wednesday settles near 66. The cold is a one-night event rather than the start of a sustained cold snap.
Why This Frost Advisory Reached the County Late
Price County sits on the boundary between two National Weather Service forecast offices. The Duluth office covers the county, while the La Crosse office handles everything south and east of it.
That split matters for residents who watch alerts closely. A separate Frost Advisory went out Sunday from the La Crosse office for Taylor, Clark, Jackson, Monroe, Juneau, and Adams counties. Price County was not named in that advisory, and it never applied here. Anyone who saw it and assumed it covered Price County was looking at the wrong office’s product.
The advisory that applies to Price County is the one issued by Duluth, and Price County is listed in it.
What Should You Cover Before Monday Morning?
Gardeners with tender plants still in the ground have until dark to act. The Duluth office’s instruction is brief: “Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.”
Plants Most at Risk
Tomatoes, peppers, basil, and other warm-season garden crops are the first to suffer. Container plants can simply be moved indoors or into a garage. Anything left in a raised bed or a ground plot needs a physical cover.
Frost forms most readily on surfaces that lose heat quickly, which is why low-lying spots and open ground cool faster than sheltered yards. A plant next to a building or under a tree may come through fine while one in the middle of a garden does not.
Simple Protection That Works
A sheet, a blanket, or a row cover draped over plants holds in enough ground heat to make a difference. The cover should reach the ground so warmth from the soil stays trapped underneath. Plastic sheeting is a poor choice on its own because it does not insulate and can damage foliage that touches it.
Potted plants are the easiest win. Move them under an overhang, into a garage, or inside for the night. Watering the soil before dark can also help, since damp soil holds more heat than dry soil and releases it slowly overnight.
Is the Growing Season Over in Price County?
Not officially. A Frost Advisory does not end the growing season the way a Freeze Warning does.
That distinction has real consequences beyond the garden. The end of the growing season matters for agriculture, for crop insurance dates, and for anyone tracking how the region’s frost-free window is shifting from year to year.
For now, the forecast points to a rebound: Monday’s high of 59 and Tuesday’s high of 70 are both well above frost territory. Warm-season plants that survive one night of frost in early October can keep producing for weeks if the weather holds.
A Familiar Northwoods Pattern
Early October frost is normal in this part of Wisconsin. The county sits far enough north and far enough inland that cold air drains into its low spots on clear, calm nights while areas closer to Lake Superior stay warmer longer.
That is also why the advisory lists so many counties at once. The Duluth office covers a wide band of northern Wisconsin, and a single night of clear skies and light wind can drop temperatures across all of it together.
What to Watch Next
The advisory expires at 9 a.m. Monday. If temperatures come in lower than forecast, the Duluth office can upgrade the advisory to a Freeze Warning, which would mark the official end of the growing season for the county.
Residents who want the current outlook for Phillips and the rest of Price County can check the local forecast page for the county seat. Live conditions come from the Phillips / Price County airport station, which was reporting a temperature in the low 50s Sunday evening under cloudy skies.
For a longer view of how the seasons run here, see our guide to Price County weather through the year. If the frost has you thinking about fall recreation instead of the garden, the county’s parks and trails are worth a look once the mornings warm up.
Weather decides most of what happens outdoors here.
See also: our guide to free camping in Wisconsin
See also: our weekend weather preview
FAQ
When is the Frost Advisory in effect for Price County?
From 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday, October 5. The advisory was issued at 12:56 p.m. Sunday by the National Weather Service office in Duluth, which covers Price County.
How cold will it get overnight in Price County?
Forecast temperatures fall as low as 33 degrees. That is cold enough for frost to form on exposed surfaces, which is the threshold the advisory is built around.
Does this Frost Advisory end the growing season in Price County?
No. A Frost Advisory is not a Freeze Warning. The growing season officially ends when the weather service issues a Freeze Warning or temperatures reach 32 degrees or lower across the county. If Monday’s temperatures come in colder than forecast, the Duluth office can upgrade the advisory.
Did the La Crosse Frost Advisory cover Price County?
No. The advisory issued by the La Crosse office Sunday applied to Taylor, Clark, Jackson, Monroe, Juneau, and Adams counties. Price County is served by the Duluth office, and the Duluth advisory is the one that applies here.
What should I do to protect plants from the frost?
Cover tender plants with a sheet, blanket, or row cover that reaches the ground, move potted plants indoors or under cover, and water the soil before dark. Warm-season crops like tomatoes, peppers, and basil are the most vulnerable.
Sources
- National Weather Service – Active Alerts, Price County (Zone WIZ009)
- National Weather Service – Forecast for Phillips, WI
- National Weather Service – Duluth Forecast Office
- National Weather Service – Cold Weather Safety