Usually sunny and warm Florida is preparing for an announced weekend of polar cold, with record low temperatures that can affect crops, empty beaches and parks and cause what is known as rain of iguanas.
These alien reptile species that have become a plague in the so-called “sunshine state” are paralyzed when the thermometer reads below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius).
Their muscles do not respond to them and they fall from the trees where they sleep, which is popularly known as iguana rain.
Several meteorological services have already warned of a possible rain of iguanas, especially on Sunday, which will be the coldest day of this polar wave.
AnnouncementThe private company AccuWeather points out that in some places there will be temperatures on Saturday during the day that have not been registered for 80 years, as low as a maximum of the order of 30 degrees Fahrenheit (between 1 and 4 degrees Celsius), that can produce a lower thermal sensation due to the presence of gusty winds.
There are warnings that frosts during Saturday night could harm citrus and red fruit crops, said this company, which urged farmers to take protective measures.
Environment
The organization Camillus House, which is a service provider for The Homeless Trust, a Miami-Dade County entity that serves the homeless, has also taken protective measures, in this case for the homeless in Miami.
A spokeswoman for Camillus House told Efe that this weekend they are offering 40 additional places so that people who live on the street can take refuge in their facilities.
“People seeking shelter will be required to take a rapid covid-19 test and be provided with meals, showers, and access to other services from our day program,” he stressed.
“Our staff and team are standing by and ready to welcome the homeless as always; particularly those who are not prepared for the inclement weather ahead,” added Ginette Grey.
Not only iguanas suffer from the cold, many other animals from warm areas of the planet do as well.
At the Miami zoo, its communications director, Ron Magill, informed Efe, shelter has already been provided for some animals and others, especially reptiles and birds, have been transferred from the enclosures abroad to other interiors and with heating, like the one where the giant tortoises are already.