• BY DIANNA WRAY
• Originally published January 9, 2011 at 11:06 p.m., updated January 9, 2011 at 11:06 p.m.

• TIPS FOR COLD WEATHERLaurie Garretson, of Earthworks, says, when covering plants, don't let plastic actually touch the plants, because it will burn them.

  Garretson also advises people to remember to uncover plants during the day to keep them from ...

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TIPS FOR COLD WEATHERLaurie Garretson, of Earthworks, says, when covering plants, don't let plastic actually touch the plants, because it will burn them.

Garretson also advises people to remember to uncover plants during the day to keep them from burning.

Kurt Miori, of Miori Plumbing Company Inc., says, whether you use cloths or pipe insulation, wrap your pipes and let the faucets drip to keep them from freezing.

If you thought we'd escape Mother Nature's winter breath this year, think again.

Unusually cold weather will roll into the Crossroads, making things chilly on Tuesday morning.

The National Weather Service reports that an arctic cold front is set to sweep into town late Monday night, sending temperatures plummeting to the low 30s early Tuesday morning, National Weather Service meteorologist Douglas Vogelsang said.

Highs will be in the mid 40s on Tuesday afternoon, with lows in the lower 30s on Tuesday night.

Residents in some of outlying areas could see temperatures in the 20s on Tuesday night, though Vogelsang said they don't expect any snow or ice.

Wednesday will see highs in the lower 40s and lows in the upper 30s as the cold front passes through.

This is unusually cold weather for this time of year, when Vogelsang said Victoria sees normal highs in the lower 60s and average lows in the lower 40s.

With that winter chill coming, residents may want to take a few things into account as they prepare for it.

Henry Schroeder, of Schroeder Refrigeration Inc., has been working on heaters and air conditioners in Victoria since 1969.

Schroeder advised people to have their heaters checked out before cranking up the thermostat.

"Heating puts three times as much strain on an electrical unit. If everything isn't in good shape, there could be trouble," Schroeder said.

People with gas heaters need to be especially vigilant about getting the units checked out, since a leaky gas heater can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

People should also check their carbon monoxide and smoke detector batteries, Schroeder said.

For those with fireplaces, fireplace installer Ken Bailey, of the locally owned Glowing Embers fireplace store, advised people to be sure and open the chimney flue before lighting up. He also advised against using any type of flammable liquid to start a fire.

People should use dry wood and to avoid using a lot of paper when lighting the fire since the paper can fly up through the chimney and clog it, he said.

Veterinarian Dr. John Beck said don't forget about the pets.

"The best thing to do is bring them inside, but if you can't do that, make sure they stay warm," Beck said.

Dog houses should be sized to allow dogs to heat it with just their body heat. People should also check water bowls to make sure the water doesn't freeze overnight, dehydrating the pet.

For animals lucky enough to go inside, Beck warned people to make sure the animals don't have access to any toxic plants brought in from the cold.

Earthworks co-owner Laurie Garretson also advises people not to forget about their plants.

Potted plants should be brought inside and outdoor plants should be well watered and covered so that they won't freeze.

Kurt Miori, of Miori Plumbing Company Inc., advised people to be sure and wrap their pipes and to let them drip to keep them from freezing.

Miori said people can use pipe insulation or even wrap some old blankets around pipes.

"The main thing is to keep them from freezing. Frozen pipes burst, and that's a mess," Miori said.

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