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Fort Lauderdale breaks cold record for Dec. 7
Sun Sentinel
9:22 AM EST, December 7, 2010
FORT LAUDERDALE
South Floridians woke up Tuesday morning to temperatures
hovering around the very low 40s that sometimes felt like the mid-30s
because of the wind chill factor.
In Fort Lauderdale, a low temperature record of 42 degrees for Dec. 7
that had been in place for 169 years was broken, said Dan Gregoria, a
meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami.
"It was at 7:24 a.m. when the temperature reached 40 degrees," Gregoria said.
Clutching a steaming cup of coffee and rushing to her job at a downtown
bank, Roxanne Moss, 48, said, "It's nice, it's a change, but I hope it
doesn't last long."
Raul Urbina, 43, spends much of his workday outdoors, tending to the
landscaping and maintenance of some Fort Lauderdale businesses, and
finds exceedingly cold temperatures bothersome.
"I work outside every day," he said. "It makes everything more difficult."
Broward County officials declared a state of emergency because of the cold weather early Monday afternoon, while Palm Beach County activated its cold weather emergency shelter plan. Both actions
prompted homeless shelters to open early to crowds seeking a warm place
to sleep.
Agriculture businesses were also preparing for potential heavy damage to crops.
The arrival of a "modified Arctic air mass," or cold air from the north,
was expected to lower temperatures to the mid- to upper 20s in the
inner parts of Palm Beach County from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, the weather service said.
During the same period, Broward and Miami-Dade counties are forecast to
reach the lower to mid-30s.
Early Tuesday, most agents with the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service went into the fields to check on crops in
the Glades and along the coast, according to agency Director Audrey
Norman.
It's still too early to measure the impact of the frigid weather, Norman
said. The agency will likely have a better idea Tuesday afternoon.
By late afternoon Monday, small crowds were already appearing at the
front steps of shelters throughout Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Workers at the Salvation Army in Fort Lauderdale spent most of the day
cooking burgers and rolling out mattresses. To keep from overcrowding,
staffers planned to bus shelter-seekers to three different facilities,
said Lilly Gallardo, the group's social service director.
Staffers were hoping this week's cold spell doesn't stay as long as a
cold stretch last January and February that left shelters filled beyond
capacity.
"Last year we had people sleeping in hallways," said Gallardo. "We'll be prepared regardless."
William Macer, who says he has been homeless for several months, was among those at the Salvation Army seeking shelter.
"I know there are many people who are going to suffer tonight," he said. "A lot of them are afraid to seek services."
Freezing temperatures also endanger millions of dollars of agricultural crops.
At Runway Growers in Dania Beach, owner Jamie Hayes spent Monday
afternoon on his tractor spraying water and protective chemicals for his
crops and plants. The grower lost about $500,000 in damaged crops in
January.
"This is never good news," he said. "We are always going to expect some damage, but hopefully nothing like last winter."
Steve Bedner, of Bedner's Farm Fresh Market west of Boynton Beach,
covered his small squash, cucumber and bean crops overnight, but
expects his commercial pepper crop to survive the low temperatures.
"Normally, we wouldn't have this stuff growing this time of year, but we
do grow a minimal amount for the market so everybody can have fresh
produce," he said.
In Palm Beach County,
helicopters were standing by to keep warm air circulating over crops if
cold winds become a problem overnight, said Arthur Kirstein, of the
county's Cooperative Extension Service.
"We feel like if we can get through tonight, then tomorrow we'll have
similar conditions, but maybe with less wind," said John Hundley, of
Hundley Farms east of Belle Glade.
Schools remained open Tuesday, and the Broward school district on Monday
sent notices to parents encouraging students to wear warm clothes, such
as caps and mittens.
In Fort Lauderdale, the coldest temperature for a Dec. 7 was recorded 169 years ago — at 42 degrees.
For Dec. 7, the record low for Palm Beach County is 36, set in 1937; Miami's record is 35, set in 1937. (Fort Lauderdale
had a higher temp for a record because its sensor was closer to the
coast, where the weather tends to stay slightly warmer.)
For Dec. 8, the record low for Palm Beach County is 43, set in 1937; Fort Lauderdale is 43, set in 1959; and Miami is 38, set in 1937.
The weather service also posted a fire alert — mainly for brush fires —
from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. The increased fire risk stems
from the combination of warm daytime temperatures, low humidity and
strong winds.
Staff writers Ihosvani Rodriguez, Juan Ortega, Rebekah Monson, Danielle Alvarez and Alexia Campbell contributed to this report.