Syfy Insider Exclusive

Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, sweepstakes, and more!

Sign Up For Free to View
SYFY WIRE Weather

The end is nigh! National Weather Service warns of raining lizards as temps drop across U.S.

By Josh Weiss
Iguana

Repent, all ye sinners, for the Lord has seen fit to smite these once-fertile lands with the scaled precipitation of His unending fury!

Ok, so that's just a real fancy Biblical way of saying that the National Weather Service in Miami has put out a legit warning for people to look out for falling iguanas in the warmer southern regions of the United States. Don't worry, though. These animals are falling out of trees, not clouds.

"Iguanas are cold blooded. They slow down or become immobile when temps drop into the 40s," reads the tweet-based announcement. "They may fall from trees, but they are not dead."

Wait, really?! Our money was on Adrian Veidt for a hot second there. We have Tim Blake Nelson on speed dial for strange meteorological occurrences such as these.

According to CNN, states like the Carolinas, Louisiana, and Florida are all experiencing unconventional winter chills that take the average temperature 10 - 15 degrees below normal.

"The temperature threshold for when iguanas begin to go into a dormant state depends greatly on the size of the iguana," Ron Magill, communications director for Zoo Miami, told CNN. "Generally speaking, the larger the iguana, the more cold it can tolerate for longer periods."

Since the tree-dwelling reptiles are able to reach five feet in length and 20 pounds in weight, they can be harmful if they hit you (or your car's windshield) from a great height. Nevertheless, some folks in South Florida see this as a godsend since iguanas are considered an invasive species.

"I do know that there are several iguana hunters that are looking forward to this upcoming cold front as it will certainly facilitate them removing these invasive reptiles from the South Florida environment as they will not be able to run away!" added Magill.

Per the Miami Herald, a few Floridian residents are taking advantage of the reptilian surplus by selling iguana meat (which is edible and enjoyed in Central and South America as well as in the Caribbean) on Facebook. We'll take ours buffalo style, if you don't mind!

In any case, we now know what the people of Ancient Egypt felt like when Moses visited a plague of frogs upon their land in an effort to "let his people go!" Oh, and of course fans of Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia will surely be feeling a sense of serious déjà vu right about now.


Read more about: