STEVE INSKEEP, host:
Maybe some people shopped online because it was warmer indoors. Winter weather still affects much of the nation. Record lows have hit from North Dakota to South Carolina, while parts of New England are digging out from almost three feet of snow.
NPR's Adam Hochberg reports on how the freezing conditions are affecting the economy.
ADAM HOCHBERG: Even in South Florida this week, overnight temperatures hovered around the freezing mark, and that means it's a worrisome time for Jack Mendaborough(ph) who works at Southern Gardens, one of the world's largest orange growers.
Mr. JACK MENDABOROUGH (Southern Gardens): It's going to be tough for the next few days. It is very cold here, and it's expected to get colder.
HOCHBERG: Southern Gardens is hoping to preserve its crop on more than two million trees. Yesterday, hundreds of workers tried to pick as many oranges as they could. And overnight, they were ready to spray water on the trees to keep them from freezing.
Mr. MENDABOROUGH: The temperature of the water that's coming from the ground is certainly a lot warmer than the air that surrounds it, and does create an atmosphere that is not as cold.
HOCHBERG: Florida's Citrus Growers Association says so far, the protective measures have worked. There's been no crop damage reported yet and little impact on produce prices. But the weather is affecting other parts of the economy. Heating oil prices are trending higher, and for some merchants, sales are off.
In the college town of Athens, Ohio, where the sidewalks are covered with snow, Debbie Rogers says business is down at her hair salon.
Ms. DEBBIE ROGERS (Hair Salon Owner): We get a lot of cancellations for people who are driving in, and the foot traffic slows down because if you try to get around, you're slip sliding away.
HOCHBERG: Forecasters say the eastern half of the nation will endure even colder temperatures late this week, with snow possible as far south as Louisiana and Mississippi.
Adam Hochberg, NPR News.