From a News Summary: In the final week of January 2026 a massive winter storm and Arctic blast brought some of the most intense cold of the season across much of the country. A sprawling system known as Winter Storm Fern developed mid-month and spread heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain from the Southern Plains through the Midwest and into the Northeast between January 23–26, 2026. Snow totals exceeded 20" in parts of the interior Northeast and significant ice accretions were reported in the Carolinas and northern Georgia, producing widespread travel disruption. Following the storm's passage, frigid Arctic air plunged deep into the United States. Temperatures plunged well below normal for many regions, with extended periods of sub-freezing conditions in major cities, threatening to set decades-long records. The cold surge even reached the Southeast, including Florida, where unusually low temperatures and rare snow or flurries were noted. The impacts were significant: thousands of flights were canceled, travel was snarled, and millions experienced power outages. Emergency declarations were issued across many states, and the extreme temperatures, snow, and ice contributed to hundreds of traffic accidents and dozens of deaths.		Our frozen church fountain.
Joyce and I watched on TV the impact of major Winter storms racing across the northern and central portions of the United States, that created electrical outages, flight delays, traffic snarls and accidents, and a panoply of other cold weather related incidents and accidents. We sent our prayers. But I also sent some good-natured texts to a couple of my high school friends in Michigan and Indiana, noting their well-below freezing temperatures in their part of the world and my world - Tampa - with temperatures that allowed me to play golf and pickleball in short-sleeve polo shirts. (Of course they replied about what they would be doing annually when Florida was in its Hurricane Season - but that's another story.) However, on February 1st, our area of eastern Hillsborough County finally got its share of the cold. But I'm not going to complain; I'm going to let the (brief) cold remind me how great it is to live in the Sunshine State. Below are strawberry fields covered with ice.             🍓             🍓             🍓             🍓             🍓            🍓             🍓             🍓
Interesting Note: Florida strawberry farmers turn on overhead sprinkler irrigation during a freeze - and it's very intentional. Here's why it works: As the sprayed water freezes on the plants, it releases latent heat. That heat keeps the strawberry blossoms and fruit at about 32°F, even if the air temperature drops lower. As long as the water keeps flowing and freezing, the plant tissue is protected from frost damage. Yes, it looks counterintuitive - coating plants in ice - but it's one of the most effective frost-protection methods used in Florida strawberry fields, especially around Plant City and eastern Hillsborough County.
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