Frost/Freeze in Hardee, Florida

Temperatures dropped into the mid to upper 20s across Hardee County for several hours on the morning of the 18th, causing damage to citrus groves, strawberry crops, and landscaping. The coldest temperature reported was 26 degrees at the FAWN site in Ona.

A strong cold front moved southeast through the Florida Peninsula on the 17th, with strong cold air advection causing a hard freeze over large portions of the Nature Coast and west central Florida during the morning of the 18th. Another hard freeze occurred on the morning of the 19th as light winds and clear skies allowed for strong radiational cooling.

The freeze caused unknown amounts of damage to citrus crops in Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Hardee, DeSoto, and Highlands Counties. There was also an unknown amount of damage to strawberry and crops in Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, and Hardee County. In addition, the freeze also damaged landscaping across west central and southwest Florida.