Calif. temperatures stay above danger zone but freeze watch continues
Calif. temperatures stay above danger zone but freeze watch continues
California citrus growers dodged a bullet during the first night of freezing temperatures during the early-morning hours Dec. 31 in the San Joaquin Valley, but the freeze watch continues and the next two days will be critical.
"Our stations clearly indicate that very few locations dipped below 32 degrees for any period of time," California Citrus Mutual President Joel Nelsen said in a statement. "Throughout the night and early morning a few locations experienced short durations of cold temperatures requiring some form of frost protection."
Typically temperatures need to fall below 32 degrees for a period of at least four hours for damage to occur. Of course, the lower the temperature and the longer the duration the more damage occurs. Overnight temperatures did drop below freezing for short periods of time in several locations, but a cloud cover helped moderate the temperatures and kept the mercury in the high 20s in even the coldest citrus-growing areas.
A year ago, eight straight days of sub-freezing weather in early December caused significant damage and cost the industry hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.
In the San Joaquin Valley, more than 200,000 acres of citrus are farmed with the primary varieties being Navel and Mandarin oranges. Lemons and other varieties constitute approximately 15 percent of the valley's citrus crop. Mandarin and lemon varieties are the most vulnerable because of thinner skin.
Approximately 75 percent of the fall-winter citrus crop still remains on the trees. More than 16,000 wind machines are employed to protect the $1.6 billion citrus crop.