Frost advisory issued for portions of Miami-Dade, Broward counties

Temperatures expected to dip into 40s in Miami

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. ā€“ The big chill making its way across the southeast didn't spare South Florida.

Temperatures dipped into the 40s in Broward and Miami-Dade counties Thursday morning, while temperatures in the Florida Keys dipped into the 50s.

The National Weather Service issued a frost advisory for inland Broward and inland and south Miami-Dade counties from midnight to 9 a.m. Friday. The advisory also includes the MiccosukeeĀ Indian Reservation and Homestead.Ā 

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SCITUATE, MA - JANUARY 04: Residents are evacuated via a humvee as flood waters rises as a massive winter storm bears down on the region on January 4, 2018 in Scituate, Massachusetts. The "bomb cyclone" was expected to dump heavy snows in New England as the storm system moved up the U.S. east coast. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

"It's one thing to hear it's going to get cold, but (it's) a shock to the system I'm sure for a lot of you when you went outside this morning and actually felt it," Local 10 News chief certified meteorologist Betty Davis said.Ā 

Not surprisingly, Key West was the warmest spot, with a high of 60 degrees.

Click here to get your real-time forecast and weather watches/warnings.

The wind chill was 36 degrees in Fort Lauderdale and 44 degrees in Miami.

"It could be even colder for tomorrow morning," Davis said.Ā Ā 

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NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 04: Passengers wait for their delayed flights at gate 15 in terminal five at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 4, 2018 in the Queens borough of New York City. A winter storm is traveling up the east coast of the United States dumping snow and creating blizzard like conditions in many areas. (Photo by Rebecca Butala How/Getty Images)

The chilly weather was even causing tourists to pull out their sweaters.

"We have bathing suitsĀ and now,Ā almost everything we've got we have on because it's a bit chilly," one South Beach tourist said.Ā 

Restaurants along Las Olas Boulevard were also bringing out their space heaters Thursday afternoon as temperatures were expected to drop by nightfall.Ā 

"Well it's perfect for us because we're from the Pacific Northwest,"Ā one restaurant patron, Cheryll Kinsley, said. "I think the wind chill this morning was 39 (degrees Fahrenheit). We did not expect that in Fort Lauderdale. But it's not raining, so we're happy."

The cold weather is also affecting farmers in Homestead, who were taking precautions Thursday.

"This is how we make our living, so if you don't make packages, you don't pay your bills. So you've got to make packages," farmer John Algen said.Ā 

The last time South Florida experienced such low temperatures was in February 2015.Ā 

"It got extremely cold right after midnight and IĀ thought it was going to be a very long night for us," Homestead farmer Sam Accursio said at the time.

Farmers had to flood their fields to keep their crops from freezing.

On Thursday, farmers were busy picking as much of their crops as possible before the weather destroyed their produce.Ā 

"As a precaution, we're irrigating what we've got with all of our machines, just trying to make sure everything is as wet and sealed up as possible," Alger said.Ā 

"We're going to run those sprinklers through the night --Ā that helps to warm the plant up and keep the frost from settling," Accursio said.Ā 

DavisĀ said the chill is expected to stick around Friday, with high temperatures forecast to be in the low 60s.

Be sure to download theĀ WPLGĀ Local 10 Weather app to receive the latest and most accurate information about severe weather where you live and work. You can find it by searching "WPLGĀ Local 10 Weather" in yourĀ iTunesĀ orĀ Google PlayĀ app stores.