MELBOURNE — The National Weather Service in Melbourne has issued a freeze watch for all counties in east-central Florida, including Brevard and Indian River counties, warning of a hard freeze with temperatures possibly dropping to the mid-20s. The watch, issued Thursday at 11:19 a.m. EST, takes effect Saturday evening, Jan. 31, and continues through Sunday afternoon, Feb. 1, ending at 1 p.m. EST. Forecasters also highlighted an extreme cold watch for the same area, with wind chills potentially dipping as low as 7 degrees. Freeze conditions are expected to kill crops, sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing, according to the weather service. The watch covers the full forecast zone served by the Melbourne office, which includes Brevard, Indian River and other east-central counties.