U.S. Weekend Cold Brings Freezes To Gulf Coast

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By Drew Lerner

Kansas City, January 8 (World Weather Inc.) – Bitter cold air, the coldest of the season for many areas, spread east and south from the north-central and interior western states Friday to most of the eastern United States. Freezes occurred southward to South Texas and along most of the central Gulf of Mexico Coast. Some damage to sugarcane and citrus may have occurred from Louisiana to South Texas, but crops in Florida were not impacted – at least not through Sunday morning. Some winter wheat produced in minor production areas in the Midwest and southern states might have been negatively impacted, but no widespread permanent damage should have resulted. Florida citrus areas will be cold again Monday morning.

Temperatures dropped into the single digits as far south as northern Mississippi and northern Alabama this morning and similar conditions occurred in West Texas Saturday morning. Sub-zero degree Fahrenheit lows were noted as far south northwestern counties in West Texas, southern Oklahoma and the lower Midwest. The coldest readings occurred in the northern Plains and upper Midwest where extremes fell into the negative 20s and negative teens Fahrenheit. It is hard to believe, but the weekend lowest temperatures in the northern Plains and upper Midwest were not as cold as those of late last week when Friday morning lows fell to -33 in northern Minnesota.

Snow cover across the nation was extensive the past two mornings, but there were some holes in the coverage and that might have produced a little damage to some minor wheat production areas. A band of snow free conditions extended from southeastern South Dakota and northeastern Nebraska through central Iowa to northern Illinois and northern Indiana. Temperatures in these areas were cold enough to possibly damage a few crops, but assessing any damage will not be possible until spring when greening normally takes place. These areas across the Midwest are not major producers of wheat and there may not be many fields involved with the potential for damage.

                        The same kind of situation occurred in wheat areas from southeastern Kansas and north-central Oklahoma through a part of southern Missouri to southern Illinois and western Kentucky. Wheat is produced in some of these areas, but temperatures were not cold enough for a long enough period of time in most cases to induce much, if any damage.

Temperatures in the Delta and Tennessee River Basin area also fell into the positive single digits and lower teens. Normally, wheat would not be damaged at such temperatures and the odds are against much, if any, damage. However, the wheat crop in this part of the nation was not as hardened against the cold as areas in the central Plains or Midwest and that makes the crop a little more vulnerable to damage. With that said, however, World Weather, Inc. does not believe much, if any, serious damage occurred to crops. Some vegetative growth has likely been burned by the cold, but crops should recover when seasonal warming occurs.

Temperatures dropped below freezing all the way south through Texas and into a part of northern Mexico. Citrus and sugarcane production areas in South Texas and northeastern Mexico were likely subjected to frost and a few light freezes, but temperatures were not cold enough to cause much serious damage. Irrigation systems may have been used in citrus areas to protect crops, but the cold was not much of a viable threat to production potentials in 2017 or to any unharvested 2016 crops.

The central Gulf of Mexico coast also expected low temperatures in the lower and middle 20s Fahrenheit the past two mornings. Such temperatures are rare, but they do occur. Damage to vegetation likely occurred with sugarcane the only developing crop in the region that would have been negatively impacted. Most of the sugarcane is produced in southern Louisiana and temperatures were cold enough to burn the crops leaves and set back development for a while. Permanent damage to production is not very likely, although if weather conditions are not ideal this spring and summer crops will not yield as well as this past year because of the freeze damage that will already have the crop a little weaker than usual. Most of the temperatures were not quite low enough seriously harm plants and the odds are relatively good that production will recover. Frequent rain and mild temperatures are best following freeze events to give crops a chance to recover. Recent rain has the ground saturated and that will help crops recover as temperatures quickly rebound this week. Too much warmth is not desirable and a close watch on temperatures over the coming week is warranted. Highs may be in the 70s before the workweek is over and that could stress some of the more seriously impacted crops.

Florida citrus areas reported low temperatures in the middle and upper 30s this morning with Ona – traditionally colder location – dropped down to 33 degrees Fahrenheit. There was plenty of wind to keep the air stirred and that should have helped to avoid any frost.

Temperatures tonight will drop again in Florida with a few more 30s and lower 40s expected, but the impact will be no more significant than that of this morning. All other areas in the central and eastern United States have seen then end of this cold airmass and significant warming is expected during the week this week. Temperatures will rise substantially by the weekend as a strong high pressure ridge builds into the region sending arctic air back into Canada and the far northern U.S. Plains and upper Midwest.

World Weather, Inc. forecasts and comments pertaining to present, past and future weather conditions included in this report constitute the corporation’s judgment as of the date of this report and are subject to change without notice. Comments regarding damage or the impact of weather on agricultural and energy as well as comments made regarding the impact of weather on the commodity and financial markets are the explicit opinions of World Weather, Inc. World Weather, Inc. cannot be held responsible for decisions made by users of the Corporation’s information in any business, trade or investment decision.

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