Slow start to spring in Buffalo-Niagara, a warning to wait on sensitive plants

Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Not so fast, gardeners!

The weather this weekend certainly hasn't been ideal for those wanting to begin to clear their garden beds and ready them for new annual plantings. And the 'cold starts' in the immediate forecast are leading the experts to advise you to hold off ... for now.

Despite recent episodes of warm weather, a few rounds of frosts and freezes are ahead for parts of the eastern half of the country into the last full week of April. AccuWeather meteorologists warn that temperatures can get low enough in this region to threaten vegetation.

The blasts of chilly air will come in two rounds, first into early this week, and then again midweek, as cold fronts sweep south from Canada. Temperatures for a few mornings can drop to or even below the freezing mark from the upper Midwest to eastern New England and as far south as North Carolina and Tennessee.

"High pressure will build into the area today, bringing mainly dry weather that will last through the first part of the new work week," National Weather Service forecasters in Buffalo say. "Temperatures will be below average through Monday." A brief seasonal warmup is in the forecast Tuesday, followed by another round of colder air for midweek, forecasters say.

"If you started your plants in pots, it would be a good idea to bring them indoors the next couple of nights," says AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski. "If you are not able to do so, cover up your veggies and flowers with a blanket or tarp to protect them from a frost or freezing temperatures."

Looking ahead to late in the week, forecasters expect a warming trend, however there is the likelihood of showers accompanying the warmer air for the start of the weekend.