LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Winter is officially less than a week away but the cold winter weather already is here, and forecasters are urging county residents to be prepared.

The National Weather Service issued a freeze watch that's in effect from 4 to 10 a.m. Sunday.

A hard freeze is defined as minimum temperatures at or below 28 degrees for at least three to five hours.

Temperatures are predicted to drop in the middle and upper 20s for several hours, the agency said.

Such low temperatures can kill plants and crops, and harm animals and livestock.

While the watch is only in effect for several hours on Sunday morning, the specific forecast for Lake County predicts very low temperatures on Saturday night as well.

On Saturday night it's forecast to be in the low 20s in the Lakeport area and around 27 in the Middletown and Clearlake areas.

The Kelseyville forecast puts Saturday night's temperature at 25 degrees, with 24 degrees in Upper Lake.

In the coming week, temperatures are expected to range between the mid and high 30s at night and the from the low 40s to mid 50s during the daytime, with mostly clear and sunny conditions.

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