See how the coming cold is changing South Florida routines
By Miami Herald
An irrigation system is used on zucchini crops at Torbert Farm as workers prepare for a cold front expected over the weekend and into next week across South Florida on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Homestead, Fla.
Photo by Matias J. Ocner
mocner@miamiherald.com
How are you getting ready for the big freeze in South Florida? Maybe getting out some warm clothing or gathering ingredients to make soup.
At Zoo Miami, workers were busy Friday moving animals into warmer inside homes.
And across South Florida, farmers were prepping their fields to protect against a crop-killing freeze.
Here’s what it all looked like:
In the fields of South Florida
Farm manager David Torbert, 32, holds a zucchini as an irrigation system waters crops while he and his staff prepare for a cold front expected over the weekend and into next week across South Florida on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Homestead, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Farm manager David Torbert, 32, holds a zucchini plant leaf coated with water from an irrigation system used for frost protection as he prepares for a cold front expected over the weekend and into next week across South Florida on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Homestead, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Farm manager David Torbert, 32, holds a squash as an irrigation system waters crops while he and his staff prepare for a cold front expected over the weekend and into next week across South Florida on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Homestead, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Farm manager David Torbert, 32, holds a squash as an irrigation system waters crops while he and his staff prepare for a cold front expected over the weekend and into next week across South Florida on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Homestead, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
At Zoo Miami
Porcupine Pascha peaks out from his heated enclosure at Zoo Miami on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Zookeepers at the Miami-Dade attraction spent part of the day protecting some of its vulnerable animals from the coming drops of temperatures into the 30s on Sunday and Monday Ron Magill Zoo Miami
A heated bird room offers warmth for some of Zoo Miami’s birds inside heated enclosure at Zoo Miami on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Zookeepers at the Miami-Dade attraction spent part of the day protecting some of its vulnerable animals from the coming drops of temperatures into the 30s on Sunday and Monday Ron Magill Zoo Miami
A Malayan tapir absorbs some warmth inside his heated enclosure at Zoo Miami on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Zookeepers at the Miami-Dade attraction spent part of the day protecting some of its vulnerable animals from the coming drops of temperatures into the 30s on Sunday and Monday. Ron Magill Zoo Miami
A turkey vulture gets heat inside his heated enclosure at Zoo Miami on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Zookeepers at the Miami-Dade attraction spent part of the day protecting some of its vulnerable animals from the coming drops of temperatures into the 30s on Sunday and Monday Ron Magill Zoo Miami
