ivan cabrera is here to tell us more. >> good to see you on the broadcast, charles.en you in a while. we focus on northern mexico where the sugar crop is important. you need rain for any kind of crop. to be successful here. my goodness, have we not had it across northern mexico. we have been bone dry during the rainy season, the dry season. we're in one of the worst droughts here against northern mexico. we've been talking about the story, not just with the sugar exports but also, it has been impacting the good folks trying to make a living here from any kind of crop. because of the lack of rainfall. of course, this is the same lack of rainfall that's impacted the state of texas as well. let's focus in on the mexican drought and what's been happening as far as the sugar is concerned. the sixth largest sugar producer as you mention, charles, we're talking 99% of that is bought by the united states. this is important stuff here. we're talking now the exports to the u.s., of which they buy 99%, could drop by 40%. we don't see any rain at this point in the forecast. even

meteorologist ivan cabrera is at the cnn weather center. i gather that frost is pretty rare in florida? >> certainly the frost and the freeze is what concerns us here, especially a long duration event. good to see you, charles, and happy new year to you. temperatures in florida have been flrigid, no question about it. it's an $8 billion industry here. when they do this, very concerned indeed. 8 below in tallahassee. temperatures going anywhere from 2 to 3 below. that is the threshold, that is when you start getting damage to the citrus crop. let's take you to the scene in central florida and elsewhere, where farmers were irrigating, which certainly helps with the freeze. temperatures have been right around 2 to 3 below. florida citrus mutual estimating, again, some damage to some of the counties there. the key here is that it is not a long duration event. yes, we went to 2 to 3 below but this will not continue for several nights in a row here. i think we'll be in pretty good shape. we've had some damage to the leaves and ice on the fruits b

ivan cabrera. >>> andrew, it's pretty chilly in great britain where we are. not used to these temperatures. ivan is absolutely right. >>> still to come on "world business today" notes. ♪ ♪ >>> politicians and business leaders have long been making a song and dance about the eurozone debt and it's proof -- it's pure theater. we have that proof just ahead. stay with us. [ engine sputtering ] [ male announcer ] engine light on? come to meineke now for a free code scan read and you'll say...my money. my choice. my meineke. >>> the sights and the sounds of good fortune. it was in the cnn hong kong newsroom this tuesday. you're looking at a traditional line dance they help to welcome the lunar new year. 2012, of course, is the year of the dragon, considered the luckiest sign of the chinese zodiac. this is cnn around china. seeing the lion dancing performed. all of us wishing prosperity. the producer there of news stream. close up and personal with that line. welcome back. you're watching cnn hong kong. and cnn london. "world business today." good stuff. >> it is. i'

ivan cabrera is at the international weather center. i've seen an awful lot of snow there and cold. what's it like now? >> do you remember how we started the season. we were talking about how there was no snow out there. >> there was. >> it was a late start. there were folks hiking with their swiss army knives. i have one myself: it has the hook pick on it when you go on the trails. a pebble gets in the horse's hoof you, pop it out. we start with an unbelievable dry season for the know snow. have we made up for it despite the slow start. upper 238 centimeters. that's where we are now as far as the depth. the average is 147. we're well above that. we're doing that as well in the lower deck as well. it is just an unbelievable change of events here. of course, courtesy of the jet stream. it's dropped down and it has allowed for the storms to come on in. the moisture has been in place and the cold air has been in place as well. we have another storm in the eastern mediterranean on the backside of this. this is going to bring heavy snow not only to the alpine region but the balkans. the