A hard freeze watch will hit the San Joaquin Valley on Monday. How long will it last?

A hard freeze watch is in effect for the central San Joaquin Valley for Monday night into Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures on Monday aren’t expected to make it past the upper 50s and will stay below freezing in much of the Valley from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Tuesday, the weather service said.

Fresno will drop to 33 degrees that night, and outlying areas will get colder. The weather service forecast is for a Tuesday low of 28 degrees in both Hanford and Madera.

After freezing temperatures let up Wednesday morning, fog will make its return through Friday, with highs in the mid 60s.

Checking on the elderly and ensuring pets have a warm shelter is important during a hard freeze, the weather service said, as well as protecting pipes and sensitive plants.

This story was originally published December 2, 2017 at 4:29 PM with the headline "A hard freeze watch will hit the San Joaquin Valley on Monday. How long will it last?."