Hard Freeze Hits Florida; Farmers And Homeless People Brace For Rough Weekend

Florida Phoenix

January 28, 2022

Homeowners, farmers and homeless shelters in Florida were bracing Friday for a weekend of freezing cold, with landscapes, crops and homeless people in harm’s way.

The freezing air is part of a winter storm affecting the entire Eastern seaboard. It will move into Florida tonight, with weekend low temperatures in the low 20s, and freezing temperatures possible as far south as Lake Okeechobee. Weekend high temperatures are expected to be 15-20 degrees below average, according to the National Weather Service.

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried cautioned farmers and producers in the state’s large agriculture industry to prepare for the worst and gather information on seeking assistance for damages likely to occur.

“I encourage all producers to prepare as best you can ahead of the anticipated cold front, including being aware of potential disaster assistance programs and their requirements,” Fried said in a press statement. “Florida farmers are resilient in the face of many challenges, from a global pandemic to unfair foreign trade to extreme weather events, but we are thankful for the resources shared by our federal partners should losses occur.”

At a press conference Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis said citrus growers, whose crops are vulnerable to freezes, can rely on assistance from the state if needed.

“Citrus is an important industry in Florida. You know, we’ve been supportive and we’ll continue to do that,” he said in answer to a reporter’s question.

The governor did not mention the risk to Florida’s homeless population, which the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness estimates at more than 27,000 adults and children. That includes roughly 7,000 who will be able to stay in overnight shelters for homeless people and another 7,000 who may not.

Families and individuals who need shelter when temperatures fall below 35 degrees are widely advised to visit or call local shelters and private facilities sanctioned to provide shelter from roughly sundown to sunup. In many counties, free transportation to shelters is available.

Donations of coats, blankets and other cold-weather garments and gear are welcome at local shelters.

Other Floridians face end-of-month evictions due to soaring rental rates, according to Legal Services of North Florida, constituting what Florida Democratic legislators have loudly denounced as an affordable housing crisis. Temperatures are likely to warm on Monday, but the overnight low will still be around 40 in north Florida, according to the Weather Service.

DeSantis wasn’t asked about those issues and did not bring them up.

“For people that are kind of new to South Florida — you know, maybe they come from places where it’s a little colder — you know, a lot of us Florida natives, once it gets below 50, you know, it really upsets the apple cart a little bit,” DeSantis said.

“People should just kind of bundle down. The first lady and I are already planning on, okay, what are we going to be doing this weekend with the kids. It makes it more difficult.”

The Florida Division of Emergency Management tweeted a warning about the approaching cold front and urged residents to practice the “5 Ps of Cold Weather Preparedness”: Protect plants, pets, people and pipes, and practice fire safety by using safe heating devices and not burning fuels indoors that release toxic carbon monoxide.

Phoenix deputy editor Michael Moline contributed to this report.

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