(WTXL) - Florida farmers are preparing for continuing cold weather over the next few nights.
Temperatures are expected to drop into the 30s overnight as far south as Fort Myers and homestead.
Many of Florida's Agricultural Commodities cannot handle freezing temperatures for very long, if at all.
Citrus and strawberry farmers are preparing their harvests ahead of time, often running their irrigation systems to create a small layer of ice over the fruit to protect it from a hard freeze.
Department of Agriculture spokesman Aaron Keller says it has already been a tough year, considering the damage done by hurricane Irma last September.
He says a hard freeze would make the situation worse.
So far, freezing temperatures have only affected northern Florida, where crops are typically more cold-tolerant.
A freeze warning is in effect tonight for Orlando, along with much of inland south and southwest Florida.
