Here in my area of CT (06804) it will be dropping below freezing for about 4 hours with the low being 27 F. My trees are in pots now (25g) and most have a trunk circumference of 6". It was raining in the morning today but later became sunny with temps in the 50s today.

4/5 trees still have leaves (one dropped leaves during a storm with strong winds).
should I leave the trees outside today for this first freeze or is it too drastic of a temp swing??

I have the same problem. Worst thing is the tips will get burned. I brought my small plants in though just in case.

Brought my small trees in too, I think the larger ones will be fine

I just brought in my Desert King and Black Maderia in with my Oleander, small trees and everything else is close to the house so I am hoping they are fine, but I am not expecting 27.

We are also expecting 27~28 F tonite. I am taking chance to leave all my plants outside for a good soak. No choice because garage is still a mess and will need the whole week to clean.
I hope ground heat will minimize the impact.

OK, I did something after posting above and reading Chivas post mentioning Desert King.
I went out and brought my 3 Desrt King plants inside the garage making room by pushing things. I hope the plants pay me back next summer for bring them in to their comfort zone.

Unfortunately it went down to 21F instead of 26F forecasted. All my plants, except DKs, were in the open including the ones rooted this year. The leaves that were lush green last evening are frozen, some fallen to the ground and the rest falling gradually. NO freezing temps for the coming week. It was the widest margin of error in the forecast I have ever noticed.

Saturday October 13!,North east Philadelphia
Last night frost was present in my location,and burned the top leaves on most of my plants,Tomatoes and Fig trees.
I have no excuse how I missed it but I think I missed it because this frost is 2 weeks earlier than average frost date here in my location.
It never happened so early since I garden on this spot,starting 1993.
Average first frost date October 25.
This Summer season was much more adverse to ripening figs than last year,tho last year was  record rain.
This year tho, it was rain too coupled with cold days and cold nights,in the 30this,and 40this,starting in early September and  till last night when frost was present.
Those cold days stopped all fruits,figs and tomatoes from ripening,the plants are loaded with fruits but none are ripening.
In 2007 for example fig trees were getting ripe fruits ,all the way trough December,and the temperatures were mild,even tho the leaves had fallen already.

Some of my plants that had already lost their leaves I brought inside on thursday. and also the desert king which still has its leaves. Most of the others I covered with frost cloth/row cover. Those went through the below freezing temps and kept their leaves, and so will have a few more days outside in the sun. The few that were uncovered lost most of their leaves. Some of those will be root pruned and re-potted before being put away for the winter.

No frost here somehow it stayed around 41 so I pushed my DK and BM back outside, I just hope that the stems harden quickly before real frost comes. 

I am glad Ottawan that you brought in the DK and saved them from the frost, hopefully they have a huge crop next year.

Heavy frost here in northern Virginia. It was 31 degrees this morning.  Glad that I covered my small in-ground figs.  I'm waiting for the leaves to drop so that I can better prepare them for the winter months.

27 degrees here in North Jersey....I brought all my small ones in and 2 larger plants with figs on them. 

The rest are toast

I think in NYC / Brooklyn the lowest was 41 F the other night. I saw no damage. I even had habanero peppers and some banana and mango saplings and Ficus benghalensis banyan outside. noticed no damage,

the roof is painted metal color and vertical walls, i wonder if the stores and reflects heat. But I started bringing many plants in. I have 20 figs on a small 'Hardy Chicago' that i'd like to get ripe. May bring it in

Nampa Idaho...
It's kinda hot here, weird. My weather forecast ...