It is 18* this morning in Highlands but fortunately the wind never got up to the 50 mph mark that was predicted. When the temperatures turn really cold like this, I am often asked, "will this hurt the turf?"
The simple answer in NO. In fact, grass is a pretty hardy plant. Cool season turfgrasses like Bentgrass or Kentucky Bluegrass are cold tolerant to negative 50 degrees or more! Furthermore, it can withstand 30 plus days under ice without any negative impact. Poa annua is probably the least cold hardy plant and will usually die if covered with ice for longer than 30 days. However, this death is not only caused by cold, but also oxygen deprivation. This is what occurred in the photo below. Many of my fellow superintendents in Michigan and the Northeast are dealing with these problems this spring due to the severe winter.
(This is NOT Highlands CC!)
Cold weather does obviously slow the growth of grass down for a short time but will have no lasting effects into the summer. Trees and flowers are another story!