PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Charlotte County woke up to a chill on Tuesday.
It might not have been technically freezing, but the reactions were strong. At the corner of Great Neck Street and Niagara Avenue in Port Charlotte, teenagers waiting for the bus summed it up succinctly when asked to rate the cold: “Ten.”
Senior reporter Emily Young finds out how people are staying warm:
One local business owner described the temperature plunge as a “death sentence” for his business.
"When it's cold, the lawns don't grow, and you don't make any money," he said. "You lost money."
The cold is affecting wildlife as well. Ranger Rob Howell with Keep It Wild says tortoises, turtles and snakes move toward the roads to try to absorb heat — a risky behavior that puts them in danger of traffic. If you spot an iguana lying motionless, don’t assume it’s dead; these reptiles can become temporarily immobilized when temperatures drop.
"When The temperatures get around 65 they almost can't even move so the latch and grip that they have under the branches when they're up in the trees. They just don't even hold it. And they'll fall out with a breeze," Howell said.
For people who need a place to warm up, local shelters are opening their doors. The Care Center on Kenesaw Street in Port Charlotte says a few families came in Tuesday to escape the cold. The center will be open again Tuesday night and asks that people who need shelter arrive by 8 pm.
