FLORIDA – Hard freeze warnings have been posted for parts of Florida this week, which means temperatures below 27 degrees will be possible for at least 2 hours.

According to the Weather Advisory Service, these hard freeze warnings will likely be extended and expanded Friday morning as freezing minimum temperatures could be experienced as far south as Lake Okeechobee.

The coldest temperatures in inland areas on Friday could drop into the low 20’s, then a gradual warm up is expected through Monday.

AndNowUKnow spoke with Florida growers about this forecast and what it could mean for this year’s crop.

One grower tells us that if the temperatures stay in line with the forecast, things should be okay, but “if the temperature goes below what is expected and gets down to 25 for even just a short period of time, then the damage will be extensive.”

Another grower told us, “There is some level of concern for our crops, but we don’t believe that we’re facing a catastrophic event. The extent of the damage will depend on how cold it gets, the durations of time that the crop is subjected to temperatures below freezing, and what the humidity is at the time of the possible freeze.”

For now, it is going to be a waiting game. Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest updates.