A powerful bomb cyclone has brought freezing temperatures and heavy snow to large parts of the United States, affecting around 150 million people from the Gulf coast to New England. The storm has caused at least two deaths in North Carolina, where nearly a foot of snow fell in and around Charlotte, marking one of the top-five snow events in the city's history.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein reported over 1,000 collisions on snowy roads over the weekend, resulting in two fatalities. He warned of black ice risks throughout the week due to below-freezing night-time temperatures and urged residents to stay home if possible. Flight cancellations exceeded 2,800 on Saturday and 1,800 on Sunday, with over 800 of Sunday's cancellations linked to Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
The cold air mass also broke records in Florida, where temperatures dropped to the 20s Fahrenheit in the panhandle and 30s in south Florida. Snow flurries were seen in Tampa, and low temperature records were set in Daytona Beach (23F), Melbourne (25F), and Vero Beach (26F). Miami experienced its coldest morning since 2010 at 35F (2C).
The extreme cold caused iguanas to fall from trees in Florida, prompting the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to issue an executive order allowing residents to remove cold-stunned green iguanas without a permit until 2 February. The iguanas, an invasive species, enter a torpor state in near-freezing temperatures, losing muscle control and falling from trees.
Zoo Miami moved reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals into heated enclosures, while primates like chimpanzees and orangutans were given extra blankets. Farmers sprayed water on strawberries and oranges to protect them from the cold. The bomb cyclone also knocked out power to tens of thousands of residents across the south-east.
