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The areas in purple in Alabama will be under a freeze warning starting Tuesday night. Temperatures by Wednesday morning could bottom out in the low 20s in parts of the state. Meanwhile, the Northeast is gearing up for what could be a historic blizzard. (NWS)

Winter's not over yet, and it's going to prove that point this week.

Temperatures by Wednesday morning could fall to the low 20s in parts of Alabama. (NWS)

Forecasters are warning that now is the time to get ready for a late-season freeze, which is expected both Wednesday and Thursday mornings.

The National Weather Service offices in both Huntsville and Birmingham have gone ahead and issued freeze warnings for parts of Alabama for Wednesday.

A freeze warning means that temperatures are expected to drop below 32 degrees, which can kill crops and sensitive plants.

It may also pose a risk to many trees, flowers and shrubs that have bloomed early thanks to February's above-average temperatures.

The freeze warning for central Alabama will be in effect from 1 a.m. until 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Lows by Wednesday morning will fall to anywhere from the low 20s to around 30, the weather service said.

"This will not be just a brief one hour at freezing and then rise, but a very significant freeze area wide before all is said and done," forecasters wrote in a discussion on Monday afternoon. "Take time now to prepare for these temperatures before the cold actually gets here."

A separate freeze warning covers all of north Alabama and goes into effect a few hours earlier: from 11 p.m. Tuesday until 11 a.m. Wednesday, according to the weather service in Huntsville.

Temperatures across north Alabama will bottom out in the low 20s by Wednesday morning, the weather service said.

Another cold night is in the forecast for Thursday, and another round of freeze warnings will likely be issued, forecasters said.

Though meteorological spring began March 1, the vernal equinox, which many consider the official start of spring, won't be until Monday, March 20.