Temps to sink below freezing before warming this week

Merced County residents awoke to the wintry sight of frost on their lawns and plants over the weekend, and more cold temperatures were forecast to come.

A hard freeze watch lasting into Monday morning was issued by the National Weather Service, which said low temperatures could drop below 28 degrees in many areas of the San Joaquin Valley.

The weather service reminded residents to take steps to protect their pets from the cold, which has the potential to also damage crops, sensitive vegetation and exposed pipes.

For the Merced area, Monday night was expected to see lows around 33, with overnight temperatures becoming slightly warmer as the week progresses, the weather service said.

The weather service said a cold front was expected to move through the area Tuesday night, with light showers possible over the high country near Yosemite.

As of Saturday, the National Park Service reported that recent storms had brought an abundance of snow above 8,000 feet in the Tuolumne Meadows area, with Tioga Pass recording 32 inches of new snow. “Snow coverage is excellent and ski conditions are good,” Tuolumne Winter Rangers Rob and Paura Pilewski reported on the service’s website.

This story was originally published December 18, 2016 at 4:46 PM with the headline "Temps to sink below freezing before warming this week."