Reagan Ricardo
Staff Writer
Florida residents woke up this past weekend to freezing temperatures across the state, a rare occurrence, as the state is known for its tropical weather. Although some residents are pleased with a change in temperature, others have expressed frustration. The cold snap has caused damage to agriculture, disrupted local events, and altered daily life.
On the morning of January 31 the low in Lakeland, Florida was 25 degrees ferin height with the temperature reaching as low as 19 degrees. Central Florida is not normally this cold, as on average temperatures in this region around early February are mid 70’s to high 50’s.
While the cold temperature is refreshing for some, there have been real issues due to this unexpected weather. For instance, some crops in the state froze overnight, causing them to have damage.
In an interview WPBF 25 News conducted, Alexander Salazar, owner of Tropical Acres Farm, stated, “It was certainly very threatening, and so far, with the protective measures we’ve taken and what we have been able to observe, the damage doesn’t look too bad, but there is some.”
Salazar is relieved the damage was minimal but is concerned there may be more cold weather on the way.
It isn’t just agriculture that is affected; it is small businesses as well. 45 minutes north of Lakeland is Dade City, where every January the Kumquat Festival is held. It is a 1-day festival that consists of hundreds of small businesses, and it draws on average around 20,000 visitors. Unfortunately, due to the cold heavy winds set to hit Dade City on Feb. 31, the town made a difficult decision to postpone the event to a later date.
Although the decision to postpone the event was made in the best interest of people’s safety, it was hard for the small businesses that allocated a lot of time preparing for the event. Small business owner and author Angela Bledsoe shared her thoughts about the cancellation of the event.
“When I received the message that the Kumquat Festival had been cancelled, I was devastated … I am an indie author, and the majority of my income comes from events,” she said.
She later added that she was hoping to use the money she made off the event to pay her editor.
Although Bledsoe was disappointed about the event being postponed, a local book store allowed her to set up a shop inside the store, and even made a social media post.
“People actually came to see me through the post, and still others came to support the Book Shack,” said Bledsoe.
The community came together to help the small business even through the strong cold wind. The Kumquat Festival has been moved to Sunday Mar. 8, and Bledsoe shares her hopes for better weather, and that people will be motivated to help the small businesses.
Bledsoe and her husband at another event at The Book Shack in Dade City, FL.
The cold weather has affected many businesses across Florida, but it’s not just events being canceled or crops being damaged; it is also the comfort of those that reside in the state. Many FSC students chose to go to college in Florida for the tropical weather. Cold weather is bound to come, but it is rare for temperatures to get down into the 20’s for a prolonged amount of time.
FSC student Evan Mills is from Baltimore Maryland and has lived in a colder climate his entire life.
“My intentions when I decided to move to Lakeland, Florida was for the warmer weather, but it is colder than I anticipated, which disappoints me,” he said.
Mills also shared how he is most affected by the cold weather. “I am unable to participate in outdoor activities I thought I’d be able to do year-round.”
As Mills expressed, he hopes for warmer weather on the horizon so he can return to doing the things he loves.
As temperatures begin to rise, Florida residents and businesses are hoping the worst of the cold weather is behind them. While the rare freeze caused complications throughout the state, communities are now focused on recovery and looking ahead to a return to Florida’s typical tropical weather.
