reporter: they ve been growing citrus for 60 years, a small family operation. they ve done what they can to protect the crop, flooding the ground will keep the temperature up a couple degrees. that s all it might take to save the fruit. if it stays just above freezing it can really help the fruit and be fine and tie the season farther for us. but it s a fine line to walk. if it gets too cold you could definitely have some damage. reporter: the feared number is 28 degrees. below that for more than four hours would freeze the fruit right on the trees and could wreck florida s $9 billion a year citrus industry. strawberry growers are not in a good place either. the fields have been watered to allow an insulating coat of ice to form over the tender berries. just do your best to protect them and make the best out of it and say a few prayers to watch over them and keep going. reporter: perhaps a lot of prayers. even colder temperatures are expected by the weekend.
been growing citrus in vero beach for 50 years. it s a small family operation. they ve done what they can to protect the crop. flooding the ground between each row of trees will keep the temperature up for a couple of degrees, that s all it might take to save the fruit. is it stays above freezing it can sweeten the fruit and be fine and help the season for us. but it s a fine line to walk, if it gets too cold, then you can definitely have some damage. reporter: the feared number is 28 degrees. below that for more than 4 hours would freeze the fruit right on the trees and could wreck florida s $9 billion a year citrus industry. strawberry growers are not in a good place either. the fields have been watered to allow an insulating coat of ice to form over the tender berries. nothing you can do but do your best to protect them and make the best out of it and say a few prayers to watch over them and keep going. reporter: perhaps a lot of prayers. even colder temperatures are expecte
well, something is definitely wrong when miami s colder than seattle. that was the case this morning with the deep south in a deep freeze. in florida an emergency now in place as farmers are racing to save their crops. and it s not just the u.s., britain and other parts of europe are at a virtual standstill. snow and ice have shut down airports, train lines, schools, and businesses. i tell you what, chad, we haven t seen cold weather like
the college bowl game, this is like summer. you florida people don t know cold. don t know cold. minus 3 in our hometown of sheridan, so it s still 60 degrees warmer. 60 degrees warmer here. we love it. reporter: yeah, and when you leave, take the cold with you. the state s farmers and growers would like that more than just about anyone. still have a heck of a lot of fruit that could be damaged. definitely. the honey bells, this is the prime time of year for them. people love to ship them north. louis shack s family has been growing in vero beach for over 60 years. they ve flooded the ground between each row of trees to keep the temperature up a couple of degrees. that s all it might take to save the fruit. if it stays just above freezing it can help sweeten the fruit and be fine, but if it s a fine line to walk. if it gets too cold you could definitely have some damage. reporter: the feared number
honeybells, this is the prime time of year for them. people love to ship them north. reporter: louis family has been growing citrus in vero beach for 60 years. it is a small family operation. they ve done what they can to protect the crop, flooding the ground between each row of trees will keep the temperature up a couple of degrees. that s all it might take to save the fruit. if it stays just above freezing, it can really help sweeten the fruit and be fine and really tie the season a little bit farther for us. but it is a fine line to walk. if it gets too cold, you can definitely have some damage. reporter: the feared number is 28 degrees. below that for more than four hours would freeze the fruit right on the trees and could wreck florida s $9 billion a year citrus industry. strawberry growers are not in a good players either. the fields have been watered to allow an insulating coat of ice to form over the tender berries. nothing you can do but try to do your best to protect