The 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-species reptiles that have become a plague in the so-called “sunshine state” are paralyzed when the thermometer drops 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 possible rain of iguanas, especially on Sunday, which will be the coldest day of this polar wave.
The private company AccuWeather points out that in some places there will be temperatures on Saturday during the day that have not been recorded for 80 years, as low as highs of the order of 30 degrees Fahrenheit (between 1 and 4 degrees Celsius), which can produce a lower thermal sensation due to the presence of gusty winds.
There are warnings that frosts during Saturday night may harm citrus and red fruit crops, said this company, which urged farmers to take protective measures.
The Camillus House organization, 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 homeless people in Miami.
A spokeswoman for Camillus House told Efe that this weekend they are providing 40 additional places so that people living on the street can take refuge in their facilities.
People seeking shelter will be required to take a rapid COVID-19 test and will be provided with meals, showers and access to other services from our day program.
“Our staff and team are standing by and ready to welcome those experiencing homelessness as always; particularly those who are unprepared for the inclement weather ahead,” Ginette Gray added.
Not only iguanas suffer from the cold, but many other animals from warm areas of the planet too.
At the Miami Zoo, its director of communications, Ron Magill, told Efe, some animals have already been given shelter and others, reptiles and birds, above all, have been moved from outdoor enclosures to other indoor and with heating, like the one where the giant tortoises are already.
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