Florida growers brace for freezing night

Florida fruit and vegetable growers braced Wednesday for what was expected to be one of the coldest nights of the year as temperatures were forecast to drop into the 20s in some parts of the state.

A hard freeze warning was issued for late Wednesday night for the northern two-thirds of the state, with the advisory stretching as far south as inland Palm Beach and Collier counties. A hard freeze can destroy vegetation

Several days of the coldest temperatures South Florida has seen in years are threatening to ruin orange groves, cucumber fields and tropical fish ponds across the state.

"This is peak harvest season for many Florida crops, so damage at this time could have significant consequences stretching far outside Florida's borders,"