Anson and Richmond counties in North Carolina are under a freeze warning from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 15. Chesterfield and Lancaster counties in South Carolina are under a freeze warning from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. the same morning.

Temperatures are forecast to fall to freezing or below across the Charlotte area early Sunday, with even colder conditions in the mountains, where lows have already reached or dipped below freezing. For Charlotte, Sunday morning is expected to bring the first freezing temperatures of the season.

The weather service warned that frost and freezing conditions "could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possible damage unprotected outdoor plumbing" in the affected counties. Residents are urged to bring in or cover tender plants and to protect exposed pipes.

The growing season for the Charlotte area officially ended this week, on Nov. 11. Routine freeze and frost warnings were expected to wind down soon, with frost and freezing conditions becoming more common as winter approaches.

Cold overnight lows are forecast to persist into early next week, though a warmup is on the horizon: by the end of next week, high temperatures could reach around 70 degrees again.

Meteorological winter begins Dec. 1, and the winter solstice falls on Dec. 21.