ORLANDO, Florida – With an unexpectedly cold weather forecast and pandemic-related curfews in some places, Florida is about to have a Christmas unlike any other in recent memory, and could involve the dropping of iguanas.
The National Weather Service warned earlier this week that South Florida could experience the coldest Christmas day in 21 years. Saturday morning lows could drop to 30 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the weather service said.
“Brrr! Much colder temps are expected for Christmas,” the National Weather Service in Miami tweeted earlier this week. “It is possible to drop iguanas.”
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Because they are cold-blooded reptiles, iguanas that live in the trees of South Florida tend to remain immobile in cold climates, causing them to fall to the ground when the thermometer falls, even though they are still alive.
ARCHIVE – A stunned iguana lies on the grass at Cherry Creek Park in Oakland Park, Florida, with unexpectedly cold weather in the forecast and pandemic-related curfews in some places, Florida is about to have a Christmas unlike any other in the recent memory, and may involve the fall of iguanas. (Joe Cavaretta / South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
In Jacksonville, the temperature was expected to drop 50 degrees, from about 80 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday to about 30 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday, putting it on the way to be one of the five coldest Christmas days ever recorded, from according to the National Weather Service in Jacksonville.
A storm line with strong storms and fast winds was also headed for North Florida on Christmas Eve.
Across the state, night shelters were opened to receive people who would otherwise be exposed to the cold, including several churches that planned to hold Christmas services. Many of the shelters promised social distance and protective equipment to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
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The pandemic was also impacting a Space Coast tradition – Surfing Santa Day, which takes place on Christmas Eve. Usually attracting hundreds of surfers in Santa Claus costumes to the surf of Cocoa Beach and thousands of fans on the beach, this year’s event was moved online. Participants were encouraged to go surfing or paddle boarding individually at their favorite location and post photos or videos on social media.
But Santa Claus was getting help from an employee of the state of Florida.
With his tongue firmly planted on his cheek, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried issued this week “an animal movement certificate,” allowing Santa Claus and his wife, as well as his reindeer, “to enter and leave every home, homes, camps and facilities in the state of Florida, between 8:00 pm on December 24 and 7:00 am on December 25, in or on any border port in the United States. “
“Given the challenges this year, we want to ensure that Santa Claus can travel safely across the state and spread the joy of Christmas to all of Florida’s children,” Fried said in a press release.