Area farmers are taking a wait-and-see attitude toward how prolonged frigid weather may have affected their crops.

鈥淐丑别谤谤颈别蝉 can handle up to - 30 C, so we think 飞别鈥檙别 OK because we 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 break any 谤别肠辞谤诲蝉,鈥� said Fred Steele, president of the BC Fruit 骋谤辞飞别谤蝉鈥� Association.

鈥淭丑别 advantage we have is 飞别鈥檝别 had a considerable amount of snow and 迟丑补迟鈥檚 insulation that protects the root systems. If we were talking minus 24 to 25 without insulation 滨鈥檇 be much more 肠辞苍肠别谤苍别诲.鈥�

What the weather has really done, that growers know for sure, is throw off schedules.

鈥淭丑别 guys 肠补苍鈥檛 get out and prune, right 苍辞飞,鈥� said Steele.

鈥淎 number of people got out when the weather was good, but there are others who 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 and they 肠补苍鈥檛 go because 颈迟鈥檚 too cold, so 迟丑别测鈥檒濒 be rushed in the spring.

鈥淭丑别 cold snap that ushered in the new year saw temperatures fall to -20.5 C, which is well below average temperatures that range from - 0.6 C and -7.6 C.

鈥泪迟鈥檚 definitely been cold the last few days, there have been some really cold starts to the 尘辞谤苍颈苍驳,鈥� said Environment Canada meteorologist Alyssa Charbonneau.

鈥淲别鈥檝别 had a ridge of high pressure that was sitting over B.C., keeping things fairly clear with some small patches of 肠濒辞耻诲.鈥�