Florida Put on Alert for Falling Iguanas
Christy Bowen
10 hours ago'Tis the season for falling iguanas. The cold weather creeping into Florida is putting residents on alert for the chance of iguanas falling out of trees across the Sunshine State. Here are the details of this wacky weather phenomenon.
Cold Air Raising Risk of Falling Iguanas in Florida
A blast of Arctic air is enveloping much of the eastern U.S. to start the week, bringing unseasonably cold temperatures to much of the South and beyond. While most Americans in the impacted areas are dealing with wintry precipitation and deep freeze conditions, those in Florida could see falling iguanas as a result of the weather pattern.
Falling iguanas are once again in the forecast for Florida in the hours ahead as a potentially record-breaking cold snap settles in across the peninsula. Overnight temperatures Monday and into early Tuesday could slide as low as the 30s.
This cold blast is more than just a nuisance to vacationers trying to soak up the sun and warmth that Florida typically offers in November. The dramatic dip in the mercury is also predicted to immobilize the state's iguana population, causing them to fall out of trees and onto the ground.
What causes this to happen? The lizards begin to exhibit sluggish behaviors when the temperatures fall below 50 degrees. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the lizards are susceptible to "freezing" when the mercury falls into the 30s and 40s.
Iguanas are made to thrive in the warm climate that Florida enjoys most of the year. However, they tend to slow down body functioning when the temperatures slide in the 30s and 40s. Because iguanas like to sleep in trees, it is not unusual for them to fall onto the ground when they stiffen up and lose their hold on the branches.
The good news is that the paralysis is usually temporary. Once they fall to the ground, the iguanas can remain in a paralyzed state until the temperatures increase enough to allow their blood to thaw.
While the threat of falling iguanas may seem like a joke to outsiders, it is not uncommon for National Weather Service (NWS) field stations in Florida to issue unofficial "falling iguana" advisories. The advisories are designed to remind residents that the lizards they find lying on the ground are generally just temporarily immobilized.