A sudden Arctic cold spell has plunged the southeastern U.S. into record-low temperatures, affecting 18 million people and causing iguanas to fall from trees in Florida. Concurrently, heavy snowfall hit parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast.
The first significant cold spell of the season has delivered a severe Arctic blast across the eastern two-thirds of the United States. The southeastern U.S. experienced an abrupt transition from warm temperatures into record-breaking cold, with Jacksonville, Florida, recording a new low of 28°F (-2°C), shattering a 1977 record. This sudden freeze placed 18 million people across Alabama, Florida, and Georgia under a freeze warning. A unique consequence in Florida was a "falling iguana advisory," as temperatures below 40°F (4°C) caused iguanas to go into survival mode and drop from trees, a rare sight for Floridians. Simultaneously, areas along the eastern Great Lakes and Northeast received substantial snowfall. West Virginia saw snow and ice leading to accidents and enabling a ski center to open. Upstate New York, particularly downwind of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, received 2 to 9 inches (5 to 23 cm) of snow, with more anticipated. Dangerous driving conditions due to high winds and heavy snowfall were also reported in central Pennsylvania and Vermont, which received up to 8 inches (20 cm). Eastern Michigan was likewise impacted by nearly 8 inches (20 cm) of snow, intense cold, and strong winds, leading to wind chills well below freezing. While the cold snap is expected to persist for a few more days in the Southeast, temperatures are forecasted to rise later in the week across the affected regions.
