Extreme Cold in Florida Causes Iguanas to Fall from Trees

In Florida, unusually cold temperatures are causing a remarkable phenomenon: iguanas, rendered immobile by the extreme chill, are losing their grip and falling from trees, surprising residents unaccustomed to such wildlife behavior during winter weather.

Wildlife Stunned by Florida’s Unprecedented Cold Snap

When most people think of the so-called Sunshine State, images of palm trees and subtropical warmth come to mind. Yet, this past weekend, Florida found itself grappling with an arctic blast that sent temperatures plummeting to -4°C at Orlando International Airport. Not only did this shatter more than a century of weather records for February, it also led to an unusual sight: iguanas tumbling from trees, immobilized by the cold. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, these cold-blooded reptiles become motionless when thermometers approach freezing, sometimes dropping from their perches entirely. Residents have been urged not to take home these animals—once thawed, their unpredictable behavior can catch even seasoned Floridians off guard.

Travel Chaos Sweeps Across the Southeast

Of course, the disruptive impact of this rare freeze wasn’t limited to Florida. A late-season winter storm swept across much of the southeastern United States, transforming major roads in North Carolina and neighboring states into hazardous ice traps. Several factors explain this cascade of complications:

• Over 1,000 traffic accidents reported over a single weekend, with two fatalities confirmed by Governor Josh Stein.
• Dramatic images circulated on social media, such as a freight train colliding with a stranded semi-truck in snowy conditions near Gastonia—thankfully without injuries.
• Aviation disruptions, including more than 1,700 flight cancellations on Sunday alone; operations at Charlotte’s airport ground nearly to a halt.

Cascading Consequences for Infrastructure and Space Missions

The effects reverberated beyond transportation. With snow accumulations reaching up to 40 centimeters near Wilmington on the Atlantic coast, tens of thousands of homes in states like Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana lost power—a vulnerability accentuated by another deadly storm just one week prior that claimed over 100 American lives. Even NASA found itself forced to postpone a critical test for its upcoming lunar mission, Artemis 2, at Cape Canaveral.

An Unpredictable Winter Raises New Questions

Amid such extreme events—ranging from frozen iguanas in suburban backyards to large-scale grid failures—residents are left wondering what further surprises this extraordinary winter holds. For many across the southeast, resilience is being tested anew by nature’s relentless unpredictability.