Bomb cyclone contributed to snow and wind chills in the south with Florida iguanas freezing and falling from trees
The US continues to be at the mercy of freezing temperatures across much of the country, stretching from the north-east all the way into the south and putting approximately 150 million people under cold weather advisories and extreme cold warnings.
Florida’s uncharacteristic cold snap has led to some rare sightings: snowflakes and falling iguanas. In Miami and Orlando, the lows dropped to 35F (1.7C) and 24F (-4.4C), respectively, undoubtedly disappointing the vacationers who sought to go to the Sunshine state to escape the freezing temperature on the east coast.
More stunned than the Florida tourists, however, were the iguanas: in temperatures this low, the cold-blooded reptiles become paralyzed and drop from the trees. Though it’s upsetting to witness, wildlife officials noted that the iguanas are not dead, and gain mobility once temperatures rise again.
Due to the unusually cold conditions, the Florida fish and wildlife conservation commission (FWC) has been allowing residents to capture and transport the non-native reptiles to five designated FWC offices over the weekend. One FWC office based in Sunrise, Florida received over 1,000 iguanas on Sunday.
