It’s ‘cold’ in Florida -- and they’re not handling it very well

Iguanas are falling from trees

Florida is cold. (WDIV)

DETROIT – From time to time, we see warm weather states get a brief cold snap -- and they never seem to handle it very well.

This time -- it’s Florida. And by cold, we don’t mean Michigan cold -- we mean Florida cold.

Recommended Videos



In South Florida, lows dropped into the low 40s and 30s but the wind chill temperature readings dropped as low as the upper 20s and low 30s -- it’s the coldest air they’ve felt in nearly 10 years. They’re actually under a Wind Chill Advisory this morning.

In Central Florida, high winds have led to wind chills in the 20s, but they’ll top out around 60 degrees later today. (Oh, the horror!)

Over in Jacksonville, temps are as low as the upper teens and 20s across the region, but will warm into the 50s and then 60s and 70s later this week. How will they survive?!

Okay, we’ll stop making fun of Florida -- when you’re not used to the cold, this weather can be dangerous. In fact, shelters for people who are homeless have opened in Miami after Broward County declared a cold weather emergency.

It’s also so cold that iguanas could be falling from the trees. It’s well documented that South Florida’s iguana population goes into shock when temperatures dip below 50 degrees, sending many of these invasive lizards plummeting to the ground.

The cold-stunned creatures appear to be dead, but they’re not.

Here are some funny social media posts from Floridians in the cold:


About the Author:

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.