Die, oak mites, die! Weekend weather could make that happen

Find those winter coats, Kansas.

The coldest temperatures of the season will hit the Wichita metropolitan area on Friday. Northwest Kansas received the state’s first snow of the season on Thursday from the same system closing in on Wichita.

Daytime temperatures in Wichita on Friday will recover only a few degrees from overnight temps, forecasters say, with early Saturday delivering the region’s first hard freeze. Highs will be in the upper 40s, about 25 degrees colder than Thursday.

Blustery northwest winds will make it seem even colder. Steady breezes will be in the upper 20s, with gusts topping 40 mph.

Lows early Saturday are projected to fall into the mid- to upper 20s. That’s good news for those tired of dealing with oak mites and other insects.

In other words, pretty much everyone.

“There’s a good chance that the hard freeze will take care of most of them, at least,” said Rebecca McMahon, a horticulture agent for the Kansas State research and extension service in Sedgwick County.

The itch-inducing oak mites have been particularly annoying during this unusually warm autumn. Allergy sufferers have had a long season as well.

A second hard freeze early Sunday – again in the mid- to upper 20s – should reinforce the impact of the initial freeze, McMahon said.

Gardeners wanting to protect annuals, tropicals and other vulnerable plants have a bit of work to do, said John Firsching, manager of Hillside Nursery. Water the plants well, he said, then spray them for insects if they’ve been outside all season.

Once the plants dry, bring them inside.

“There’s nothing else you really need to do,” Firsching said.

Plants that tolerate the cold better, such as pansies, ornamental kale, lettuce spinach and edible kale, can simply be covered to protect against the expected low temps this weekend, McMahon said.

“There might be a bit of damage on leaves, but nothing major,” McMahon said.

This story was originally published November 17, 2016 at 8:50 PM with the headline "Die, oak mites, die! Weekend weather could make that happen."