Oklahoma gardeners prepare for frost as May cold snap hits
A May cold snap brings frost risks to parts of Oklahoma, prompting gardeners to take precautions to protect their plants overnight
WELCOME BACK. IS YOUR GARDEN FULLY PLANTED? IT’S UNDERSTANDABLE FOR YOU, CONSIDERING THE RECORD WARMTH THAT WE’VE HAD TO START THE YEAR RIGHT. AND MAYBE IT’S GOOD THAT YOURS ISN’T FULLY PLANTED BECAUSE WE HAVE OUR LATEST COLD SNAP THAT HAS NOW ARRIVED. IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET COLDER TONIGHT. METEOROLOGIST JOSEPH NEUBAUER JOINING US OUTSIDE. JOSEPH, YOU SPOKE WITH A LOCAL GARDENING EXPERT ABOUT WHAT CONCERNS HER THE MOST TONIGHT AND HOW WE CAN PREPARE. YEAH, WE’RE ABOUT 24 HOURS INTO THIS COLD SNAP HERE IN THE DEEP OF MAY AND SOME OF OUR COLDEST TEMPERATURES FROM THIS SNAP GET HERE TONIGHT, 40S, 30S. SOME OF US POTENTIALLY SEEING SOME FROST. YOUR ANNUALS AND TROPICALS. THOSE ARE PLANTS. COULD FEEL SOME COLD STRESS TONIGHT. OVERNIGHT WILTING AND SPOTTING ARE THINGS TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD SLOW DOWN GROWTH OF YOUR PLANTS FOR ABOUT A DAY OR TWO. AS WE LOOK FOR THE AREAS WE’RE CONCERNED ABOUT MOST, IT’S NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA. THIS IS WHERE THE POTENTIAL OF FROST COULD PRESENT SOME BIGGER PROBLEMS. EXPERTS, OF COURSE, RECOMMENDING TO COVER YOUR PLANTS UP THAT WAY WITH AN EXTRA BLANKET, EVEN SOME EXTRA WATERING, TOO, WILL HELP INSULATE THE ROOTS. SATURATED GROUND IS A GOOD THING ON THE COLDER NIGHTS FOR THE METRO, A FREEZE AND FROST IS REALLY NOT EXPECTED THURSDAY MORNING OVERNIGHT. THAT’S THE GOOD NEWS. BUT WITH LOWS AROUND 40 HERE IN OKC, SOME VEGETABLES, HERBS AND PLANTS IN YOUR GARDEN MAY STILL NEED TO BE MONITORED. THEY COULD TOLERATE 1 OR 2 NIGHTS OF THIS. TOMATOES ARE NOT GOING TO BE REALLY HAPPY. THEY’RE GOING TO START SHOWING SOME PURPLING AND STUFF LIKE THAT. BUT THEY’LL COME RIGHT THROUGH IT. IT’S YOUR PEPPERS THAT YOU’RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BECAUSE THEY DON’T LIKE AND SO IF YOU HAVE A WAY TO COVER THEM AND STUFF LIKE THAT TONIGHT, THAT WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION. I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THE STATION THAT ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR VEGETABLES. MOST OF THE SPOTTING AND DISCOLORATION OF VEGETABLES, BY THE WAY, TYPICALLY RESOLVE AFTER A DAY OR TWO PLANTS THAT WILL OF COURSE, COULD HAVE SMALL SECTIONS OF THE WILT PINCHED OFF. IF YOUR PLANT IS BUDDING, THEY DO RECOMMEND TO COVER IT, JUST IN CASE. THAT WILL BE EVEN HERE IN THE OKC METRO FOR ME, IF YOU’RE NERVOUS ABOUT IT, DON’T CHANCE IT. GO AHEAD AND JUST PUT A NICE INSULATED TOWEL DOWN. THAT WILL BE ENOUGH FOR TONIGHT. DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE EXTRA WATERING. GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE SEEN RECORD WARMTH, SO A LOT OF OUR SOIL CARRIES THAT WARMTH WITH IT. SO WE’RE FEELING IT RIGHT NOW.
Oklahoma gardeners prepare for frost as May cold snap hits
A May cold snap brings frost risks to parts of Oklahoma, prompting gardeners to take precautions to protect their plants overnight
Updated: 5:04 PM CDT May 6, 2026
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Oklahoma is facing a May cold snap, with temperatures expected to drop into the 40s and 30s overnight, and frost possible in northwestern parts of the state. >> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning NewsletterKOCO 5 Meteorologist Joseph Neubauer reported that annuals and tropical plants could experience cold stress overnight, such as wilting or spotting, which may slow growth for a day or two. For gardeners in northwestern Oklahoma, frost could present bigger problems, and experts recommend covering plants with blankets and providing extra watering to insulate roots. In the metro area, a freeze or frost is not expected Thursday morning, but with lows around 40 degrees, some vegetables, herbs, and garden plants may still need monitoring. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.”They can tolerate one or two nights of this. The tomatoes are not going to be really happy — they’ll be showing the purpling, stuff like that. It’s your peppers you’re really going to have to worry about. They don’t like anything below 50 degrees. So if you have a way to cover them tonight — that’s the best option,” said Brandi Mosely, greenhouse manager at TLC Garden Centers. Watch the video above to learn more.Top Headlines ‘He thought he would be decapitated’: Injured truck driver’s family speaks after New Jersey plane crash Edmond police look for suspect after knife attack near UCO campus 18-year-old woman dies days after mass shooting at Arcadia Lake pavilion Video shows car jump curb, chase down child on sidewalk; driver arrested Three patients being evacuated to Europe from cruise ship with hantavirus outbreak
Oklahoma is facing a May cold snap, with temperatures expected to drop into the 40s and 30s overnight, and frost possible in northwestern parts of the state.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning Newsletter
KOCO 5 Meteorologist Joseph Neubauer reported that annuals and tropical plants could experience cold stress overnight, such as wilting or spotting, which may slow growth for a day or two. For gardeners in northwestern Oklahoma, frost could present bigger problems, and experts recommend covering plants with blankets and providing extra watering to insulate roots.
In the metro area, a freeze or frost is not expected Thursday morning, but with lows around 40 degrees, some vegetables, herbs, and garden plants may still need monitoring.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
“They can tolerate one or two nights of this. The tomatoes are not going to be really happy — they’ll be showing the purpling, stuff like that. It’s your peppers you’re really going to have to worry about. They don’t like anything below 50 degrees. So if you have a way to cover them tonight — that’s the best option,” said Brandi Mosely, greenhouse manager at TLC Garden Centers.
Watch the video above to learn more.
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