Minnesotans Gear Up For Early Fall Freeze

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- With all the talk of a freeze back in the forecast, we wondered if this is early and what it means for our winter.

We found the answers easier to take than Wednesday's temperatures.

At Lula, a clothing store in the Merriam Park area of St. Paul, a temperature dip adds up. Hayley Bush said he will usually see a boost in business on the first day it really starts to feel like fall.

"Two days ago people wouldn't even touch wool," Bush said.

Pete Boulay, a Minnesota assistant state climatologist, gave us some hope. He said this whole freeze thing is happening at least two weeks early. Despite a wet start, Boulay said we have been very warm. This summer is tied for the 11th warmest in the Twin Cities on record.

"Coming off that kind of summer this kind of seems like quite a shock to people,"  Boulay said.

I asked my friends on Facebook to find a word for it. Check that out here.

Jill wrote "Expected," Tom called it "Minnesocoldah" and Chris didn't hold back, writing "Noooooo!!!!"

Boulay said there is plenty of fall to look forward to. This won't mean we're in for a colder winter.

In fact, he said the next two months are looking warmer than average.

So for now, Hayley Bush will enjoy a boost in business while the rest of us remember days gone by.

If you haven't already done so, be sure to cover up your tomatoes, basil and flower boxes if you want to keep them around. Remember, don't use plastic and be sure to uncover them in the morning.  They will likely have a couple weeks of life left in them.