Tampa Bay region prepares for freezing cold

After an anxious night in the fields, Tampa Bay farmers will inspect their crops for damage this morning as the rest of us shiver through temperatures near or below the freezing mark.

Temperatures were headed for the low 20s in Citrus and Hernando counties early today, with a slight wind chill making it feel like the mid teens. In eastern Pasco and Hillsborough counties, the lows were nearing the mid 20s.

"Pinellas is the hot spot," said Richard Rude, a National Weather Service meteorologist. Some parts of Pinellas were likely to hit the freezing mark, while the low in St. Petersburg was expected to be about 40.

And it's going to get at least a few degrees colder tonight, Rude said.

The winter snap, Florida's coldest so far this season, brought a hard freeze warning last night for areas as far south as Pasco County.

A hard freeze watch also is in effect for the entire Tampa Bay area, including Hillsborough and Pinellas, tonight into Thursday morning.

A hard freeze — 27 degrees or lower for three or more hours — can have a far greater impact on citrus, vegetation and water pipes than a normal freeze, when temperatures hit 32 degrees.

Area farmers know the drill.

Nearly halfway into the growing season, strawberry farmers in eastern Hills­borough spent Tuesday preparing for a frost.

While much of the crop already has been harvested, thousands of plants were covered in anticipation of the cold, farmers said.

"We're checking our water systems in case we have to irrigate and covering everything that might be in danger," said Gary Parke of Parkesdale Farms in Plant City.

Water sprayed on plants creates a protective layer of ice that insulates them against frost.

George Casey, 67, who owns a Brooksville farm with 10 acres of blueberries, and his 66-year-old wife, Joan, were alternately waking up every two hours to check on the sprinklers and plants, which are in the blossom stage.

Many area homeless shelters also made special preparations.

Ana Mendez of Metropolitan Ministries said the shelter on Florida Avenue in Tampa typically gets three to four families on hard-freeze nights, and employees there would be handing out vouchers for nearby motels.

In Pinellas, cold night shelters will be open for the homeless tonight, as they were last night. The shelters will remain open all night, starting between 6 and 6:30 p.m., and close the following morning at approximately 6 a.m.

People were advised to bring in their pets or insulate any outdoor pet shelters, but representatives from local zoos and tropical fish farms weren't concerned as long as ponds were covered and animals slept in warm enclosures as usual.

Even though it may feel much colder than it has in a long time, it was actually pretty close last year, when it got down to the low 20s to mid 30s in January. In January 1977, the area had freezing temperatures and snow. And in January 1985, the record low in Tampa was set at 21 degrees.

"We're not expected to get anywhere near that," said Jennifer Colson of the National Weather Service. "It's hard to break records because they're already set very low for this time of the month."

Times staff writer Chandra Broadwater contributed to this report. Emily Nipps can be reached at nipps@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8452.