FLORIDA'S main citrus belt will see the coldest temperatures in years this morning, putting the state's US$9.3 billion-per-year citrus industry in jeopardy of a widespread freeze.
Asked about the potential for crop damage, Rick Davis, National Weather Service meteorologist, said: "Absolutely, that's why we're going with a hard freeze, and that's below 27 degrees Fahrenheit (-2.8C) for three or more hours."
Essentially, the areas affected by the hard freeze include the heart of the citrus belt, which basically extends south from the Interstate 4 corridor that runs from Tampa northeast to near Daytona Beach, he explained.
Polk County, Florida's largest citrus producing state, is expected to see a hard freeze in the west, with temperatures rising slightly to -2C to 0C in the east.
A "large swath" of readings in the -7C to -3C range are expected in the central and southern portions of the peninsula, though some pockets of slightly warmer temperatures will also occur. The hard freeze warning will extend as far south as I-75, commonly known as Alligator Alley, that runs from Naples east to Miami.
Davis said the combination of clear skies and light winds will allow temperatures to fall overnight. Currently, the NWS has hard freeze warnings in effect for Glades and Hendry counties in southern Florida, but the NWS will broaden its hard freeze forecast when it issues its afternoon update Wednesday.
Citrus growers are expected to run irrigation Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, as the water contributes moisture to the air, allows the fruit to release heat energy to keep it around 0C and provides insulation for the crop.
Frozen concentrated orange juice prices on ICE Futures US are higher, mostly on concern that the crop could be damaged by the sub-freezing temperatures, an analyst said.
"It's dangerously cold and it's supposed to be 2 to 4 degrees (Fahrenheit) colder tonight - but it's all up to the winds and cloud cover now and it's supposed to be clear," said James Cordier, commodity analyst and founder of Optionsellers.com in Tampa.
"But I think we're seeing higher prices on talk of even colder air pushing down tonight," he added.
March FCOJ futures are trading 255 points higher, or 3.5 per cent, at 74.80 US cents a pound.
-By Tom Sellen, Dow Jones Newswires