Winter Weather May Damage Citrus Industry

A deceptively mild start to the 2016-2017 winter season in the southeastern United States is expected to give way to a sudden burst of cold air in mid- to late January that threatens the Florida citrus crop with a damaging freeze.

For consumers that means that orange juice could very well steepen its recent price rise. In June, orange juice sold for about $1.30 a pound on the ICE, and the October futures price has already jumped to $2.10.

The cold snap in Florida is expected to be short-lived, but the forecast then turns to an increased possibility, according to Accuweather’s recent winter forecast.

The Northeast is likely to experience above-normal snowfall in the coming winter, with larger accumulations north of New York City. The region can expect a lower-than-normal number of sub-zero days, and temperatures are expected to average three to five degrees lower than last year.

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California and the Pacific Northwest can expect early winter storminess from San Francisco to the Canadian border, with storms tapering off after December. Central and southern California, along with most of the Southwest, are expected to have warm and dry conditions for most of the winter — not a happy prospect for the drought-stricken southern part of California.

In the Midwest, the northern Plains should expect several blasts of brutally cold air delivered from our friendly Canadian neighbors. Overall temperatures are expected to be six to nine degrees colder than last year. The cold air will settle in over the Great Lakes and could kick-off an early start to pile-ups of lake-effect snow.

The southern Plains and the Gulf Coast should experience mild temperatures until late December and early January when chillier air arrives. Lack of precipitation either as snow or rain is expected to continue.

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Here’s Accuweather’s current map of what Americans can expect this winter.