South Florida sees record-breaking temperatures Sunday morning
Video above: The latest forecast from WPBF 25 News meteorologists
West Palm Beach reached near-record lows Sunday morning at 37 degrees - making it the coldest morning of the season and of the past 12 years.
Vero Beach tied its record low at 30 degrees, set in 1978.
This was the coldest West Palm Beach has been since 2010, when it hit 38 degrees on Jan. 4. That week had multiple days in the 30s.
Temperatures are expected to warm up Sunday afternoon into the upper 50s, meteorologists said.
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Cold weather safety
People across South Florida are gearing up for the coldest air in the last 10 years.
The West Palm Beach Police Department shared some important safety tips for people to keep in mind as they warm up their houses for what could be the first time this season.
Heating appliances are a leading cause of fire-related deaths in the United States every year, according to first responders.
Video below: Heating appliance safety tips
One of the most popular items being bought off the shelves right now is firewood, which people are purchasing at hardware stores like Ace Hardware in Palm Beach Gardens.
"When the cold weather rolls through, people are prepared pretty well,” said Anthony Cuoco, a sales associate at Ace Hardware in Palm Beach Gardens. "They start calling as soon as they see it on the news. If we’re going to get cold weather, they call us. ‘Do you guys have firewood?’ We probably get 10 or 20 calls a day."
Everyone said they just want to make sure they are prepared for all scenarios.
"When I went to Utah, I have some snow gear, so maybe (I'll wear) that,” said Kaysi Cabrera of West Palm Beach.
The other big seller at the hardware store was drop cloths that people can use to protect their plants from the cold.
Video below: Floridians prepare for possible record-breaking cold temperatures
Horticulture experts also shared tips people can use to keep their plants safe from frigid temperatures.
University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension St. Lucie County urban horticulture agent Kate Rotindo said it's fortunate that there has been some cold weather as of late, since that is giving many plants the chance to acclimate to the cold weather ahead of this weekend's cold snap.
"I know we’ve got a lot of folks out there who have gotten into gardening and perhaps have done some hard work in their landscapes and we want to protect those plants if we can during these cold temperatures,” Rotindo said.
Video below: Ways to keep plants safe during cold snaps
Pets should not be left out in the cold. Horses and livestock should be provided for with supportive, insulated shelters and extra coverings to keep them warm.
Palm Beach County said people should speak up if they suspect any animals of being mistreated. Animal cruelty complaints can be submitted to Palm Beach County here.
The animals at Palm Beach Zoo will have no problem staying warm this weekend when the temperatures dip to the 30s in South Florida.
Video below: How Palm Beach Zoo is preparing for the cold
With cold weather also comes a change in wildlife behavior.
The threshold for iguanas to maintain their body temperatures before they may start to fall out of trees is about 40 degrees. Iguanas could fall from trees, become immobile or freeze to death in the cold.
If you come across a reptile that seems immobile on the ground, you should not touch it. Reptiles can carry bacteria that can make people sick. There is also no reason to bring an iguana indoors as they will become mobile when they get warmer.
Video below: A look at how a 2020 cold snap affected iguanas
This is a developing story. Stay with WPBF 25 meteorologists for the latest weather information.