Calif. chills, but dodges crop damage in cold snap

Alerts predicting freezing temperatures and frost were becoming familiar in much of the state, with new high wind warnings in place for the mountains around Los Angeles beginning early Monday.

In Hollywood, film fans brought heavy coats and scarves as they waited along the red carpet hoping to catch glimpses of stars arriving for the Golden Globes ceremony. Some of the actors shivered but they weren't complaining.

"I'd rather be nippy than boiling hot," said actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who arrived in a strapless dress. "No, I'm not wearing any leggings or long underwear."

Farmers hoped for another night of successful crop protection, as they ran wind machines and water to shield their fruit.

Spokesman Paul Story of California Citrus Mutual, a growers' trade association, said so far most orange and lemon crops probably avoided significant damage despite temperatures early Sunday in the high 20s.

"For the navel oranges, that's not cold enough to do a measurable amount of damage," said Story.

He said more sensitive mandarin oranges may have suffered some minimal damage.