Frost. Photo: Dan Brekke
Ground frost will be near-certain in Berkeley over the next several days. Photo: Dan Brekke

A cold front coming through the Bay Area over the next few days is forecast to bring temperatures in Berkeley to near-record lows, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures on Thursday, Friday and Saturday are expected to plumb the low 30s. The record low for January 10 at Oakland Airport was 26 degrees in 1949. The day’s average low is 42 degrees.

According to an NWS forecaster, the front originates in Alaska. The cold weather is forecast to last at least through the weekend.

During the cold weather, the winter storm shelter for the homeless at Dorothy Day House on Dana, between Durant and Channing, will be open in Berkeley.

The cold weather could also cause problems for gardeners in Berkeley.

“People always want to grow things on the edge of climatic conditions,” said Holly Forbes, curator at the UC Botanical Garden. She said people with small plants in containers might want to bring them indoors, or place them under a tree canopy or other sheltered spots.

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Lance Knobel (Berkeleyside co-founder) has been a journalist for nearly 40 years. Much of his career was in business journalism. He was editor-in-chief of both Management Today, the leading business magazine...