A late-season freeze this week brought damaging cold to the mid-Atlantic, threatening crops just as orchards and berry fields entered critical stages of growth.
Record lows were set in parts of the region Monday and Tuesday, including 24 degrees Fahrenheit in Allentown, Pa. Temperatures also dropped to 27 degrees at Dulles, Va., and 28 degrees in Charlottesville, Va. Colder pockets dipped even further, such as 9 degrees in Canaan Valley, W.Va., underscoring the intensity of the cold snap.
Farmers worked through the night ahead of the freeze trying to protect vulnerable crops. Many used irrigation systems to continuously spray fields. While it may seem counterintuitive, the technique helps shield plants because as water freezes, it releases heat, protecting blossoms from even colder air.
At Butler's Orchard in Germantown, Md., farm manager Ben Butler said temperatures near 25 degrees caused extensive damage.
Butler's Orchard in Germantown, Md., on Tuesday. Photo by Chad Merrill/AccuWeather
