Our area is likely to experience its first frost of the year, albeit later than usual.

That dip could come as soon as Tuesday evening, according to Tom Kines, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather.

“It looks like tomorrow night, Wednesday night, Thursday night all are fair game for a freeze, which we should have had by now,” Kines said. “It’s very late for a frost or a freeze; typically that happens by the first half of October. The fact that it’s not happening until the early stages of November is pretty remarkable.”

However, Kines noted getting the first frost this late in the year shouldn’t have any impact on any vegetation.

“The vegetation is dying anyway; nobody has stuff in their garden right now, it’s all past,” he said. “People won’t have to take any precautions because of that; however, because it is happening pretty late, it is a pretty big deal.”

Kines said despite that, there’s still plenty of reason for optimism.

“The one silver lining out of this is a tranquil weather pattern,” he said. “No storminess is expected for the next several days.”

Kines said the daytime hours should expect some sunshine, although Tuesday appears to be somewhat on the cloudy side.

“It certainly could be worse,” he said. “Temperature wise, we’re below normal, but not by a whole lot.”

Kines added it “wouldn’t be shocking if there were some snow flurries sometime this week in the Poconos in the higher ground.

“As far as anything significant like a covering or anything, we don’t see anything in the near future,” he said, adding there are going to be some storms moving across the southern part of the country later this week, and that if by chance that system decided to turn more northward - though likely and we don’t think that will happen - it could support a mix or rain or snow. “Sometimes Mother Nature throws curveballs at us.”

Aside from that unlikely scenario, Kines said snow doesn’t look to figure into the equation anytime soon.

“We’re not anticipating any snow event around here for the foreseeable future,” he said. “The big deal about this (frost) event is that it’s happening so late.”

Above-average temperatures are favored across the South and most of the eastern U.S. as La Niña climate conditions have emerged for the second winter in a row according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center - a division of the National Weather Service.

In NOAA’s 2021 Winter Outlook - which extends from December 2021 through February 2022 - wetter-than-average conditions are anticipated across portions of the Northern U.S., primarily in the Pacific Northwest, northern Rockies, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and western Alaska.

“Using the most up-to-date observing technologies and computer models, our dedicated forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center produce timely and accurate seasonal outlooks to help communities prepare for the months ahead,” said Michael Farrar, Ph.D., director of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction.

NOAA experts also continue to monitor the widespread, ongoing drought that has persisted across much of the western half of the U.S. since late last year, keeping a close eye on the Southwest region.

“Consistent with typical La Niña conditions during winter months, we anticipate below-normal temperatures along portions of the northern tier of the U.S. while much of the South experiences above-normal temperatures,” said Jon Gottschalck, chief, Operational Prediction Branch, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “The Southwest will certainly remain a region of concern as we anticipate below-normal precipitation where drought conditions continue in most areas.”