Full Force of New Arctic Blast Will Miss Southland

Another mass of arctic air advanced on Southern California Friday, fast on the heels of a cold wave that dropped temperatures to historic lows and caused untold millions of dollars in damage to the state’s citrus and vegetable crops during the last week.

But meteorologist Steve Burback of WeatherData Inc., which provides forecasts for The Times, predicted that the effects of the new front will be less severe because it will sideswipe the Southland. Nonetheless, it will lower temperatures and bring strong winds.

“It will move out of the area quickly,” Burback said. “It should pass through the area by Saturday night, with some showers possible along the coast from Orange County to the San Diego area.”

Daytime highs are expected to warm into the 60s by New Year’s Day after overnight lows in the 30s bedevil hundreds of “campers” staked out at curbside spots to watch the Rose Parade along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.

Before the weather warms, however, Southern Californians from the desert to the sea can expect northeast winds, gusting from 15 m.p.h. to 35 m.p.h. today and into Sunday, Burback said.

Betty Reo of the National Weather Service said that the fast-moving cold front is expected to damage more crops in inland areas as overnight lows drop into the low 20s. She advised residents to continue to protect animals and cold-sensitive plants.

California’s deep freeze already was affecting prices in stores, officials said.

“The prices of navel oranges has already doubled on the wholesale market, and it could triple,” said Robert Krauter, a spokesman for the California Farm Bureau. “With the severity of damage, prices have been fairly quick to react.”

State officials have not issued an official estimate of damage caused by the freeze. But some experts have predicted that the total may run as high as $1 billion.

“It’s still anyone’s guess how bad it could get,” Krauter told the Associated Press. “A lot depends on what growers find in the next 10 to 14 days, since some of the damage may not show up for that long.”

Meanwhile, some Rose Parade float builders were scrambling to replace thousands of flowers hit by the freeze.

At Cal Poly Pomona, Cory Siedel, co-chairman of the float committee, issued an appeal Friday for replacement blooms to complete “Tickle Attack,” a scene featuring a tiger being tickled by a band of monkeys.

“We’re trying to get hold of orange flowers wherever we can find them,” Siedel said.

The temperature rose to a high of 62 Friday at the Civic Center, five degrees below normal for the date. The relative humidity ranged between 24% and 46%, according to the National Weather Service.