A powerful Arctic blast plunged much of the eastern and southern United States into a deep freeze on Tuesday, breaking temperature records across the Southeast and bringing heavy snowfall to parts of the Northeast, even as California prepared for potentially dangerous flooding from an incoming Pacific storm, according to the Associated Press.
The cold wave, described as the first major Arctic outbreak of the season, pushed freezing air from the Northern Plains deep into the South, sending temperatures plummeting overnight. More than 18 million people across Alabama, Georgia, and Florida were under freeze warnings, with some areas recording their coldest November temperatures in nearly half a century.
Meteorologist Scott Kleebauer of the National Weather Service said that “some daily records were absolutely shattered.” In Jacksonville, Florida, temperatures dropped to 28°F (-2°C) on Tuesday morning, breaking the previous record low of 35°F set in 1977. “It’s a shock to the system,” Kleebauer said. “Many areas were in the 70s and 80s just a day or two ago.”
The extreme cold followed days of gusty winds and snow in the Northern Plains, pushing eastward and setting the stage for a rare early winter blast. Forecasters said that while the cold snap would linger for a few more days, temperatures would begin moderating later in the week.
The unusual chill also triggered an all-too-familiar “falling iguana advisory” across parts of Florida. When temperatures drop below 40°F (4°C), the cold-blooded reptiles enter a state of temporary paralysis, causing them to lose grip and tumble from trees.
“Iguanas go into survival mode — their systems essentially shut down,” Kleebauer explained. “They usually recover once it warms up, but they’re not used to this level of cold.”
Social media quickly filled with videos of the frozen reptiles lying motionless on sidewalks and lawns, as Floridians bundled up for unusually cold mornings. In Orlando, theme park visitors wrapped themselves in blankets and scarves, while temperatures dipped into the 30s and 40s°F across central and southern Florida. Even Miami and Fort Lauderdale saw lows in the upper 40s, and daytime highs struggled to reach 70°F (21°C).
Farther north, the Northeast and Great Lakes region saw significant lake-effect snow, as the cold air mass passed over the still-warm waters. Some communities in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and upstate New York reported up to a foot (30 cm) of accumulation.
In Michigan’s Thumb region, the town of Ubly woke to nearly 8 inches (20 cm) of snow, according to the National Weather Service. “It just kept coming down,” said local librarian Barbara Butch. “It wouldn’t stop.”
The storm also brought hazardous driving conditions, with reports of multiple crashes across West Virginia and central Pennsylvania. In Vermont, up to 8 inches (20 cm) of snow fell by Monday evening, snarling traffic and forcing temporary highway closures.
Communities around Lakes Erie and Ontario — including Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Niagara Falls — were under winter weather advisories, with forecasters predicting 2 to 6 inches (5–15 cm) of additional snow through Tuesday. On the Tug Hill Plateau, totals were expected to reach 9 inches (23 cm), while wind chills dropped well below freezing.
On the opposite coast, California prepared for a massive Pacific storm system, powered by an atmospheric river — a long, narrow band of tropical moisture capable of delivering intense rainfall.
The National Weather Service warned that the storm would begin drenching the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday before sweeping south toward Los Angeles and San Diego. Parts of the Sierra Nevada could see more than a foot of snow, while low-lying areas faced flash flood risks.
About 2 million Californians were placed under a marginal risk of flooding for Wednesday, expanding to over 21 million by Thursday as the storm progressed southward. Meteorologists cautioned that regions with burn scars from recent wildfires were especially vulnerable to mudslides and debris flows due to the soil’s poor absorption.
Kleebauer said the combination of record-setting cold in the East and storm threats in the West underscores the climatic volatility expected during transitional months. “This is the first real wake-up call of the season,” he said. “Winter has arrived early — and it’s hitting both coasts.”
