Rebecca Rivera has lived in Orlando her entire life, and with warm winter weather usually the norm, she was caught a little off-guard this week when temperatures plummeted.
She has warmer clothing, but Rivera said she doesn’t have anything in the closet that can stand up to the sub-freezing temperatures and wind chills expected over the next few days.
“It’s all jackets and pullovers,” she said. “No actual, like, coats, because (I) never really need it around here.”
Hardware stores across Central Florida have been busy helping residents prepare with space heaters and plant protectors.
Orlando resident Joe Land even went out Wednesday to pick up some firewood from an Ace Hardware store on Colonial Drive.
“(I) figure tonight’s a good night for fire,” he said. “Warm things up.”
Visitors at Disney were also having some difficulty dealing with the cold, especially those who are in town for the Walt Disney Marathon this weekend.
Caitrona Robbins will be running in the 5K and 10K races this weekend and was expecting things to be much warmer than they are.
Instead, the cold came with her from her home in New York.
“I am very surprised at how cold it is,” Robbins said. “This morning, with the rain especially, it just chills your bones.”
Not realizing she might need a winter coat, Robbins said she didn’t bring one with her and is having to make do with what she has.
“I’m layering sweaters on top of other sweaters,” she said.
Cox Media Group
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