Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast residents woke up Sunday to a sight more common in the Midwest than the tropics this morning: frozen bird baths. The arctic blast gripping the state has dropped temperatures so low that wildlife watering spots have turned solid.
From Wellington to West Palm Beach, weather spotters shared incredible images of ice-covered bird baths as proof that this cold isn’t just uncomfortable for humans — the birds seem just as surprised.
One standout comes from John in Wellington, who sent in a video of his bird bath shimmering with a sheet of ice under the early morning sun. It’s not the kind of “refreshing dip” local wildlife is used to.
Frozen Bird Bath
Another viewer captured cool video of the frigid cold air over the warm ocean water, creating the “smoke on the water” effect this morning in Jupiter. The phenomenon is similar to the steam coming off your hot coffee in the morning.
Jupiter Smoke on Water
First Alert Weather Spotter Brian Botley sent in a photo of icicles on branches of a tree in Palm City, adding to the collection of rare winter scenes across the region.
Brian Botley
Okeechobee County was one of our coldest spots with temperatures falling to 25 degrees this morning. First Alert Weather Spotter Michael had icicles hanging from his frozen fence.
Michael Peteler
Impact on citrus groves
The cold snap is particularly concerning for South Florida’s citrus industry. Dorothy-Faye Bedgood shared a heartfelt message about the impact on local growers, writing on social media that while the winter weather “can paint a beautiful picture, this one really hurts my heart.”
“It’s not just an orange tree covered in icicles, it’s not an orange that’s a little cold, it’s years of a family livelihood trying to survive through winter temperatures that Florida isn’t used to,” Bedgood said.
She added that “the future of citrus trees are in the hands of Mother Nature and that’s one of the scariest things to come to terms with.”
Dorothy-Faye-Bedgood
Record cold across Palm Beach County, Treasure Coast
Temperatures Sunday morning broke many records across the state, including Fort Pierce and West Palm Beach, which both shattered an over 100-year-old record for Feb. 1.
The low Sunday in West Palm Beach was 30, breaking the previous record of 36 set in 1909. The low in Fort Pierce was 26, which was also set in 1909.
Vero Beach was 26 degrees Sunday morning, breaking the old record of 29 set in 1966.
While this isn’t the coldest air ever on record, it is the coldest February day for portions of our area.
Weather
Record arctic cold grips South Florida through early this week
Beware of falling frozen iguanas
The extreme cold temperatures also pose a unique South Florida hazard: falling iguanas. When temperatures drop into the 40s and below, the cold-blooded reptiles become sluggish and can fall from trees as they enter a state of temporary paralysis. Residents should be cautious when walking under trees and avoid handling any iguanas they may find, as the animals can revive and become aggressive when they warm up.
WPTV
More cold to come
The frigid invasion continues into Sunday night and Monday morning, with another round of Freeze Warnings for the entire region and Extreme Cold Warnings for the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee County. Winds will ease, but clear skies will allow temperatures to plunge quickly, raising frost risks in inland and sheltered spots.
A slow, gradual warming trend will begin Monday afternoon, but inland communities could still see frost or freezing temperatures through Tuesday.
Residents have been sharing photos and videos showing the impact of this rare cold — from icy bird baths to frost on gardens and even frozen fountains.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.