Fire Threat Today; Frost Threat Tonight

There is an increased risks of both fire and frost, according to the National Weather Service's Mt. Holly office.

This weekend's rain did not bring enough moisture to the area to quell the NWS from issuing a release about the threat of outdoor fires that could occur today.

Gusty winds, which are predicted to hit the area this afternoon, and decreasing relative humidity have greatly increased the risk for brush fires from Atlantic City to Doylestown, according to the NWS. 

Overall, March was one of the warmest and dries on record for much of the area, PhillyWeather.net reports. During the month, Philadelphia only recorded .79 inches of rainfall.

Another threat looms for tonight - frost.

When residents awake Tuesday, a coating of frost may have settled across the area overnight, the NWS states.

Frost up until May is common and does not pose much of a threat to most plants, Steve Kremp of Kremp Florist . Prolonged periods of temperatures below 32 degrees are a greater threat.

"Best thing to protect [plants from a freeze] is to cover them with sheets and plastic," Kremp advised locals.

This week's forecast from the NWS:

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 58. Breezy, with a north wind between 22 and 24 mph.

Monday Night: Areas of frost after midnight. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 34. North wind between 8 and 15 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 65. North wind between 11 and 15 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. West wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday: A chance of showers, mainly before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Northwest wind between 10 and 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 57.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 62.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38.