Cold front puts Florida on alert: The lowest temperature in two years is expected

South Florida is facing a freezing weekend and is expecting temperatures close to 35°F (1.6°C) in the coming hours, the lowest levels in the past two years.

An intense cold front has brought temperatures below 50°F (10°C), with wind chill factors remaining between 40°F (4.4°C) and 45°F (7.2°C), explained the National Weather Service (NWS).

However, they are expected to continue dropping throughout the day, with highs not exceeding 60°F (16°C) and mostly cloudy skies until the early afternoon.

The NWS even joked that even iguanas should put on their coats for this Saturday, as temperatures in South Florida are expected to drop to around 35 °F (1.6 °C) (inland and southwest) and around 40 °F (4.4 °C) (throughout the metropolitan area of the east coast) tonight.

For the early morning, minimum temperatures are expected to be close to 40°F, and the perceived temperatures could drop to the high 30°F range, especially in interior areas and away from urban zones, warns the entity.

The channel Telemundo 51 reported that some alerts could be issued in these areas due to extreme low temperatures, and authorities are closely monitoring the situation.

According to the NSW, the records for the lowest temperatures recorded in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach are 36°F, 34°F, and 39°F, respectively, occurring in 1940 and 1980.

Iguanas are animals from Florida that can be affected by the cold, as they can become sluggish or even fall from trees when temperatures drop below 50°F.

This is because iguanas are cold-blooded, and their body temperature drops when the temperature around them does as well.

The NWS has explained that if residents see any iguanas falling, they should remember that they are not dead; “they are just immobilized because they cannot withstand the low temperatures. They are cold-blooded animals that need sunlight to move.”

Frequently asked questions about the cold front in Florida