Another harsh winter killing crops

For much of the Northern Hemisphere, this has been another harsh winter. Bitterly cold temperatures have been felt in parts of California and Arizona over the past few weeks, damaging or killing citrus and vegetable crops.

Temperatures in the lower 20s kept farmers in California’s San Joaquin Valley fighting to protect about $1.5 billion worth of citrus trees in the region.

Many people in Arizona have lost tropical plants. Some are describing this year’s freezes as the worst ever. Temperatures in the upper 20s in San Diego last week forced zookeepers to offer extra heat and shelter for many animals in order to prevent hypothermia.