More winter weather leads to heavy snow, canceled flights and, in Florida, falling iguanas

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A huge swath of the U.S. from the Gulf Coast into New England was mired in extra-cold temperatures Sunday after a bomb cyclone brought heavy snow and hundreds of flight cancellations to North Carolina, flurries and falling iguanas in Florida, and more misery for thousands who are still without power from last weekend's ice storm in the South.

About 150 million people were under cold weather advisories and extreme cold warnings in the eastern portion of the U.S., with wind chills near zero to single digits in the South and the coldest air mass seen in South Florida since December 1989, said Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist with weather prediction center in College Park, Maryland.

The Tampa-St. Petersburg area in Florida saw snow flurries and temperatures in the 20s in the Panhandle and 30s in South Florida on Sunday morning, Mullinax said. That left cold-stunned iguanas lying prostrate and motionless on the ground. Iguanas in South Florida go dormant in the cold and though they usually wake when temperatures warm, the reptiles can die after more than a day of extreme cold.

The cold also left ice on strawberries and oranges in the state. Farmers in Florida sometimes spray water on fruit trees and berry plants to protect them from the cold.

Meanwhile, the bomb cyclone, known to meteorologists as an intense, rapidly strengthening weather system, contributed to nearly a foot (30 centimeters) of snow in and around Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city. The snowfall represented a top-five snow event all time there, Mullinax said.

In eastern North Carolina, James City recorded 18 inches (45 centimeters) of snow, while Swansboro recorded 17 inches (43 centimeters), the National Weather Service reported.

Flight cancellations exceeded 2,800 in the U.S. on Saturday, with another 1,500 on Sunday, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking and data company. About 800 of those Sunday cancellations were for flights departing or arriving Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

The storm caused an hourslong mess on Interstate 85 northeast of the city, after a crash left dozens of semitractors and other vehicles backed up into the evening, according to the State Highway Patrol. More than 1,000 traffic collisions and two road deaths were reported, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said Sunday.

“It’s an impressive cold shot, for sure, and there are daily records that are being seen down in the South," Mullinax said.

Snow blanketed the neighborhood of Lee Harrison, an insurance agent in a town outside of Greenville, North Carolina, and he planned to take his three daughters sledding in the backyard.

“We’re not gonna drive anywhere,” Harrison said. “It’s thick enough that I would not feel comfortable driving with our family.”

Also in North Carolina, officials said an unoccupied beachfront house in the Buxton community on Cape Hatteras collapsed in heavy surf Sunday.

More than 110 deaths connected to the wintry weather and storms have been reported around the U.S. since late January. In Tennessee and Mississippi, two states struck last weekend by a storm carrying snow and ice, more than 97,000 customers were still without electricity on Sunday, according to the outage tracking website poweroutage.us. Another 29,000 didn't have power on Sunday in Florida.

Nashville Electric Service said it expects 90% of its customers to have power restored Tuesday, with 99% getting electricity back by next Sunday, two weeks after the ice and snowstorm hit.

Gov. Bill Lee said he shared “strong concerns” with leadership of the utility, which has defended its response and said the storm was unprecedented.

Mississippi officials said it was the state’s worst winter storm since 1994. About 80 warming centers were opened and National Guard troops delivered supplies by truck and helicopter.

Mullinax said parts of the Carolinas are going to be “digging out” for several days as they contend with gusty winds and bitterly cold wind chills. Heading into Tuesday and Wednesday, light snow could fall in the Ohio Valley and the mid-Atlantic, from Washington D.C. and possibly into New York City, he said.

Trân Nguyễn in Sacramento, California, Julie Walker in New York and other reporters from around the country contributed.

An iguana stunned by the cold lies immobile on a house deck, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in South Miami, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

As temperatures dipped below freezing, sprinklers spray water over frost sensitive plants covering them with ice to insulate them from the cold at DeWar Nurseries Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Apopka, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Snow falls outside a shopping center in Columbia, S.C., on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

Alex Taylor, 23, and his dog Daisy, make their way down a snowy hill in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

An iguana stunned by the cold lies immobile on a house deck, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in South Miami, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Icicles cling to a barbed wire fence surrounding an ornamental plant nursery Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Plant City, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Icicles cling to oranges at a grove Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Plant City, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé came through for Real Madrid again, converting a penalty kick 10 minutes into stoppage time to salvage a 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano and move Madrid back within a point of Spanish league leader Barcelona on Sunday.

Vinícius Júnior also scored for Madrid after again being jeered by fans early on at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Jude Bellingham, also booed when the lineup was announced, had to be replaced 10 minutes into the match because of an apparent left hamstring injury.

Madrid was coming off a 4-2 loss at Benfica that dropped the team out of the eight automatic spots for the round of 16 of the Champions League. It will face Benfica again in the playoffs.

“We came from a tough defeat, one that nobody ever wants, in the Champions, a competition many of us aspire to win," Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde said. “We wanted to change that image, today we had the first opportunity, and I think we played a great game.”

It was a thriller at the Bernabeu on Sunday, with Mbappé giving Madrid the victory by coolly converting the last-gasp penalty for his eighth goal in five matches.

The result allowed Álvaro Arbeloa's side to keep pace with Barcelona, which won 3-1 at Elche on Saturday.

“It was a victory in which the players put a lot of energy, their soul,” said Arbeloa, who took over after replacing Xabi Alonso last month. “We needed the help of the fans and without their push we would not have achieved it.”

The boos toward Vinícius were subdued after he scored a superb goal in the 15th minute. The Brazil international cleared a couple of defenders before curling a right-footed shot into the top corner.

Rayo, which played a man down from the 80th after Pathé Ciss was sent off with a straight red card for a hard foul, equalized with Jorge De Frutos in the 49th.

Vallecano, which threatened at times at the Bernabeu, also saw Pep Chavarría shown a second yellow in the final minutes of added time.

Bellingham was on his own when he seemed to pick up the left leg injury. He immediately grabbed the back of his leg with his left hand before going to the ground. He received medical assistance and seemed emotional as he left the field under his own power.

The England international was replaced by Brahim Díaz, who five minutes later set up the Vinícius goal that made it 1-0 for Madrid. Díaz also prompted the foul of the penalty converted by Mbappé.

“We don’t yet know anything about Jude," Arbeloa said. “He came into the match in perfect condition, although he’s been putting in tremendous effort in every game he’s played since I’ve been here.”

Mbappé had missed an open net in the 68th, hitting the crossbar after getting past the goalkeeper.

With the game tied 1-1 in the 64th, Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois came up with a crucial save on a one-on-one following a Rayo breakaway.

Rayo, which has lost four straight in all competitions, had lost only one of its last five games against Madrid in the league. It dropped to 17th place, just outside the relegation zone.

Pablo Fornals scored an 88th-minute winner to give fifth-place Real Betis a 2-1 win over 15th-place Valencia, which had won three in a row in all competitions. Chimy Ávila also scored for the hosts, three minutes after Luis Rioja had given Valencia the lead.

Seventh-place Celta Vigo drew 0-0 at 16th-place Getafe, which hasn't won in nine consecutive matches across all tournaments. Celta stayed winless in three straight games.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, center left, heads for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, left, tries a shot during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe tries a shot during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)