The winter that just won't quit has one more punch for the nation's Heartland — a cold front bringing a brief return to sub-freezing weather, creating concerns for growers of apples, peaches, grapes and other fruit.
Temperatures in the 70s and 80s in recent days gave way to highs in the 40s in much of the lower Midwest on Monday, with even colder temperatures following overnight and Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service issued freeze warnings for parts of six states — Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois.
The weather service projected low temperatures again Tuesday night in the mid- to upper-20s in parts of Kansas, Missouri and Illinois. That could damage peach and apple crops, even grapes for wineries.