Winter Weather Advisories and Falling Iguanas: What You Need to Know

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Across the US, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a number of winter weather advisories, freeze and wind chill warnings, as well as a warning about falling iguanas in Florida; plus, more of today’s weather news and forecast.

Today’s weather advisories

Here are today’s weather advisories issued by the National Weather Service.

Winter Weather Advisory: A winter weather advisory in effect for a large swath of the central US including eastern Oklahoma; central and eastern Kansas; western, eastern and southern Nebraska; western and northern Arkansas; the entirety of Missouri; most of Iowa; southeast Minnesota, the central portion of western Wisconsin; and Northeastern Michigan.

The advisory is also in effect for the Northwestern US including northwest and southeast Washington, northeast Oregon, western Montana, central Idaho, and southeastern Wyoming.

Freeze warnings: Northeast Florida and Central Florida.

Storm warnings: Southeast Georgia, Northeast Florida, and the Los Angeles area.

Flood advisory: Southeastern Montana.

Wind advisories: South-central California, southeastern New Mexico, western Texas.

Caution: Falling iguanas in Florida

Here’s a headline you don’t see issued every day from the National Weather Service (NWS): “Falling Iguanas Possible Tonight.”

The NWS isn’t pranking us – it’s actually a possibility.

Why will iguanas be falling in Florida?

It’s all because of the unusually cold temperatures that will sweep across central and southern Florida tonight.

Iguanas like to sleep in trees, but the cold weather is going to have the effect of immobilizing them, which could cause them to fall from trees landing and lawns, on sidewalks or in backyards.

The NWS in Miami wrote: “Jan 21 – This isn’t something we usually forecast, but don’t be surprised if you see Iguanas falling from the trees tonight as lows drop into the 30s and 40s. Brrrr!”

South Florida is home to a thriving population of green iguanas because these reptiles enjoy the typically fairly warm climate there – except for tonight.

Snowfall for the upper Midwest

Portions of the upper Midwest will see snowfall today that will continue into Friday. However, the good news is it will be lighter an spread out over time, making the snow easier to deal with.

Snowfall is predicted for the Iowa-Nebraska border, portions of Iowa, into Minnesota and Wisconsin.

By the time the storm wraps up on Saturday, the overall accumulation is predicted to be between 5-6 inches.

Today’s US forecast highs

West: San Francisco 56, Los Angeles 66, Reno 54, Salt Lake City 40, Denver 55.

Northwest: Seattle 47, Portland, 50, Cut Bank 37, Billings 45, Cheyenne 51

Southwest: Las Vegas 62, Phoenix 64, Albuquerque 58, El Paso 63, San Antonio 61.

Central: Dallas 46, Oklahoma City 41, Kansas City 36.

North-central: Bismarck 27, Rapid City 46, Minneapolis 35.

East Central: Chicago 35, Detroit 33, St. Louis 38, Cincinnati 40.

South: Houston 61, New Orleans 57, Memphis 43, Atlanta 50, Charlotte 48, Jacksonville 58, Tampa 62, Miami 66.

East: Norfolk 43, Washington 42, Buffalo 33, New York 42, Boston 39, Bangor 25.