Protect your people, plants, pools, pets and pipes -- cold weather is here and will stay put for at least two days.
Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing in parts of Central Florida on Wednesday.
Forecasters say the mercury could hit the lower to middle 20s for a few hours in many areas. But the coldest temperatures are forecast for Wednesday night and Thursday morning, when wind chill temperatures are expected to dive into the teens in places.
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Cold Weather Advisories, County-by-County
Orange County: Hard freeze warning until 9 a.m.
Seminole County: Hard freeze warning until 9 a.m.
Osceola County: Hard freeze warning until 9 a.m.
Lake County: Hard freeze warning until 9 a.m.
Marion County: Hard freeze warning until 10 a.m.
Sumter County: Hard freeze warning until 9 a.m.
Brevard County: Freeze warning until 9 a.m.
Inland Volusia County: Hard Freeze warning until 9 a.m.
Coastal Volusia County: Freeze warning until 9 a.m.
Flagler County: Hard Freeze warning until 10 a.m.
Plants Sensitive To Temperatures
Nights below freezing are always a concern for citrus growers in Central Florida because a few hours of freezing temperatures can ruin a whole year's crop.
Workers at a citrus grove off of U.S. 27 in Clermont spent the day removing fruit from 25 percent of the entire harvest and loaded them onto trucks before the cold weather moved in.
Workers said they wanted to ship out as much of their crop as possible to try and avoid a devastating financial hit from the freeze.
"Well it's basically our peak time of the year, currently at this point and time, and with the threat of a possible freeze we try to pick up the pace, as best we can, as much as the processors will let us. Well if we don't it could be either more exposure to a loss," said Anthony Ross.
In anticipation of the freeze, the governor signed an emergency order relaxing restrictions on harvesting. The order allows farmers to ship their crop to processing centers more quickly and without weight limitations.
Local nurseries are also scrambling and said that if you want to save your plants, you should cover them, but do not cover them with plastic.
"The water forms on the inside of the plastic and then, when it freezes, it burns the plant," said Janie Cook, a rose grower.
Staying Warm While Working Outdoors
Although many of us can go inside a warm building when the mercury plummets, some have to work outside, despite the cold.
Toll workers at the Pine Hills Tolls Plaza are just some of people fighting to stay warm.
Everyone from the toll takers to police and security guards have to be outside all night.
The Expressway Authority said it’s trying to make conditions as comfortable as possible.
"They're provided with winter wear like jackets and such. They have heaters. They'll be working frequently rotating shifts so they'll be going in for breaks so they can get warm that way as well so we do what we can to make it better for them," said Lindsay Hodges from the Orlando Expressway Authority.
Hodges said workers are prepared for the worst even though Florida rarely sees these temperatures.
Don’t Forget About Pools
When the temperature drops, your swimming pool also needs protection.
The two keys are the pool pump and the pool filter. It could cost you hundreds of dollars if those should freeze and break.
Experts recommend you leave your pump on.
"The hair and lint trap at the front of the pump is plastic. It's no different than putting a cup of water outside. If it freezes, it can split it out. It can do the same thing to pipes, to the heat pumps that are not turned on. So by keeping the system moving, the water doesn't have a chance to reach that freezing temperature," said Ray Lenois from Artesian Pools.
The pipes most likely to burst are outdoor hose pipes as well as pipes in unheated interior areas like crawl spaces, attics, and garages.
Unprotected pipes that run along exterior walls are also more likely to freeze.
Water Parks Close
The unseasonably cold temperatures have forced some Central Florida tourist attractions to pack up for the day.
The Wet 'n Wild water park closed on Wednesday. A representative said it would decide Thursday morning if it will reopen.
It is the same story at Disney. Blizzard Beach is closed on Wednesday. Typhoon Lagoon is closed until next week because of refurbishment. When Typhoon Lagoon reopens, Blizzard Beach will close for several weeks.
If the parks do open Thursday, the hours will be from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
More Cold Weather Safety Reminders
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