Decade of Catastrophic Freezes  – 1980’s

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It started in 1981 and ended in 1989; 5 events that altered the industry!  Prior to greening, Dr John Attaway noted in his book, A History of Florida Citrus Freezes that “a series of seven cold waves, which devastated Florida agriculture over the period from 1981 -1989 rank collectively as the greatest agricultural disaster in the history of Florida.”  There were 5 serious freeze events over the 8 years!

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It should be noted that while citrus is not a deciduous plant (one that goes into a dormant condition) it does react to cool weather and develops some degree of cold tolerance, this is called ‘quiescence’.  Therefore, simply looking at minimum temperatures does not tell the entire story of a cold event!  Tree condition is equally important.

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January 13, 1981 brought temperatures of upper teens and low twenties to most of Centra Florida.  However, the trees had experienced cool weather prior to the event and the trees were in quiescence.  Damage to the remaining crop was severe, but surprisingly tree damage was not great!  There was loss of some leaves and even twigs were killed, but most of the trees recovered and were in decent shape as they entered the winter of 1981/82.  There was tree loss in historically cold areas as a result of the 1981 freeze, but certainly not extensive.

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January 12, 1982 ushered in another night of upper teens and low twenties to Central Florida!  This event pushed further south than the cold of the previous year.  Many areas in Southeast Florida experienced low 20’s.  Trees were in the quiescent or resting state.  Fruit damage severe but tree damage moderate.  Looked like growers had averted a catastrophe, AGAIN!

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The temperatures in November and December 1983 had been warm.  No quiescence this winter; bad news.  The forecast for December 24, 1983 was not bone chilling, mostly  mid 20’s for Central Florida.  Growers had experienced those numbers, and colder in 1981 and 1982!  However, for many it became evident the forecast was too warm.  Early Christmas Eve morning the wind was howling from the Northwest.  Christmas morning brought the same numbers that Central Florida experienced in 1981 and 1982; mid teens and low twenties.  Not much difference between high ground and ‘pockets’.  The one major difference was the condition of the trees!  In 1981 and 1982 trees had experienced cool weather prior t the cold weather, in 1983 trees were extremely vulnerable and the result was extensive tree damage in addition to the expected heavy fruit damage. 

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The summer and fall of 1983 was dominated by the sound of chain saws in the groves.  Extensive pruning took place in hopes of removing dead wood so new flush would appear in the spring of 1985.  Mountains of dead wood were burned.

Sadly, growers had not seen the last of cold weather!  January 20, 1985, just 13 months after the catastrophic Christmas freeze of 1983, brought in another cold air mass that was to deliver a killing blow to all the hard work exerted by saws and loaders.  For two nights minimum temperatures dropped to those mid-teens and low twenties all the way to South Florida.  Trees that somehow survived Christmas 1983 were killed to the ground!  When the sawdust settled, 90% of the citrus trees North of I-4 were dead!  It was a bleak landscape and for many growers it was time to give up.

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In spite of the 4 severe freezes from 1981 to 1985, a number of growers pushed out dead trees and replanted!!  What a hardy band of growers that just would not give up.  If freezes were in the past, this effort would have produced great results.  However, Mother Nature was not done with cold weather visiting Florida!  Forecast issued December 20, 1989 was a punch in the mid-section for growers!  Those in Central Florida knew it was the final blow to an industry that dominated the area providing the economic backbone for more than 100 years.  For growers in South Florida they were experiencing what their fellow growers ‘up north’ had dealt with for many years.  It appears that no one could ‘move’ away from freezes!

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The warning from the National Weather Service of a severe freeze for Christmas 1989 sent panic throughout the industry.  Never before had Florida experienced 5 disastrous freezes in 8 years.  The Christmas freeze of 1989 was ushered in with high winds and penetrated all the way to South Florida. The second night was calm allowing cold air to settle into lower areas.  When the air mass finally moved out, the entire citrus producing areas had been impacted.  Low 20’s reaching as far as Lake Okeechobee.  This time extensive fruit damage impacted the entire state.  Most of the trees replanted in Central Florida were killed.  Extensive tree damage extended into an area thought to be ‘warm’.  Every grower in Florida had experienced the worst cold air mass to penetrate Florida.  No area had escaped the final freeze of the 1980’s.  Central Florida changed forever.  Most growers sold frozen groves and the hills became subdivisions.  Packing houses closed, juice plants did the same.  The infrastructure dried up.  It was a sad citrus situation North of I-4!  Freezes continued to push citrus South and bring catastrophic economic loss to Florida.