FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — South Florida is bracing for an unusually cold weekend as Arctic air sweeps into the region, leaving locals bundling up and farmers racing to protect crops.

At Three Scoops Ice Cream in Hollywood, owner Ben Morad is stocking up on extra layers.

“Lately, it’s been OK, but we are expecting to get very cold. Very soon,” he said.

Visitors who usually enjoy the sun are also preparing.

“I like the sunshine and warm weather,” Tamas Poos said. “So I’m going to be really, really dressed up, that’s for sure.”

The cold is posing a bigger challenge for farmers in Miami-Dade County.

At Sam Accursio and Sons Farms, crews are racing to harvest beans before frost hits. Cold temperatures combined with wind could damage plants.

“Some forecasts are coming in at 31 degrees with a slight wind,” said Sam Accursio. “If that wind should die, ice will settle, and the plants can’t take it.”

To protect crops, workers are laying aluminum pipes and preparing frost protection systems.

From ice cream shops to farm fields, South Florida is feeling a rare taste of winter, with residents and growers alike adjusting to the cold.

Rare cold blast forces South Floridians to layer up, protect crops

About The Author

Aaron Maybin