Frostproof, Florida:
Record low temperatures in the US have endangered fruit and vegetable crops. The National Weather Service reported 2.2 degrees Celsius at Miami airport.
In the United States, the sunshine state of Florida has uncharacteristically been hit hard by frost, damaging its world famous citrus crops. Nearly 40 per cent of the world's orange juice supply comes from Florida's fields and the damage is likely to result in price rises.
The cold, swept in on an arctic front from Canada, is extremely tough on fruit and vegetable crops. It was below 28 degrees (-2.2 degrees Celsius) more than 8 hours in the agriculture-dominated area around Lake Okeechobee, twice the length of time qualifying for a damaging "hard freeze."
The cold is extremely tough on the state's fruit and vegetable growers, with crops such as citrus trees and sugar cane suffering damage when exposed to temperatures below 28 degrees for more than 4 hours. It was below 28 degrees more than 8 hours overnight in the agriculture-dominated area around Lake Okeechobee.
Small power outages were happening across the overtaxed grid - owing to the use of space heaters and the fact that many home heating systems in the typically steamy area are inefficient.
By midmorning, Florida Power and Light had about 14,000 homes without power and 1,300 restoration workers in the field.
In Key Biscayne, Florida one hardware store clerk was telling people on Monday that the store ran out of space heaters.
Some tourists still took advantage of the Florida beaches.
One German tourist said she liked seeing the blue sky and the palm trees.
Another tourist from New York City said she was surprised with how cold it was in Key Biscayne.
Cold temperatures aren't entirely unheard of in Florida, but it's unusual for them to linger this long.
Officials said on Monday was the 10th consecutive day of lows under 50 degrees in South Florida, just shy of a record of 13 days set in 1940.
In the United States, the sunshine state of Florida has uncharacteristically been hit hard by frost, damaging its world famous citrus crops. Nearly 40 per cent of the world's orange juice supply comes from Florida's fields and the damage is likely to result in price rises.
The cold, swept in on an arctic front from Canada, is extremely tough on fruit and vegetable crops. It was below 28 degrees (-2.2 degrees Celsius) more than 8 hours in the agriculture-dominated area around Lake Okeechobee, twice the length of time qualifying for a damaging "hard freeze."
The cold is extremely tough on the state's fruit and vegetable growers, with crops such as citrus trees and sugar cane suffering damage when exposed to temperatures below 28 degrees for more than 4 hours. It was below 28 degrees more than 8 hours overnight in the agriculture-dominated area around Lake Okeechobee.
Small power outages were happening across the overtaxed grid - owing to the use of space heaters and the fact that many home heating systems in the typically steamy area are inefficient.
By midmorning, Florida Power and Light had about 14,000 homes without power and 1,300 restoration workers in the field.
In Key Biscayne, Florida one hardware store clerk was telling people on Monday that the store ran out of space heaters.
Some tourists still took advantage of the Florida beaches.
One German tourist said she liked seeing the blue sky and the palm trees.
Another tourist from New York City said she was surprised with how cold it was in Key Biscayne.
Cold temperatures aren't entirely unheard of in Florida, but it's unusual for them to linger this long.
Officials said on Monday was the 10th consecutive day of lows under 50 degrees in South Florida, just shy of a record of 13 days set in 1940.
