Shocking moment alligator is found FROZEN in ice lake as bitter cold and rare snow strikes US Deep South

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THIS is the shocking moment an alligator was found stuck in a frozen lake as a bitter freeze struck across the Deep South.

A surprise wave of extremely rare freezing temperatures across the US South has even left predators frozen in their tracks.

An alligator was found frozen in an ice lake[/caption]

The predator was caught out by the shocking winter cold in South Carolina[/caption]

The trapped alligator won’t be leaving its home on Cat Island, South Carolina, around 70 miles south of Charleston, anytime soon.

A shocking video showed how the predator was truly stopped in its tracks by this surprise weather.

The animal’s head – which had popped above the pond waters – appeared to not move an inch.

This worrisome clip also caught the patches of snow around the icy lake.

A weather station in Charleston captured just how incredibly cold the area had become.

Around three inches of snow fell across the zone while temperatures hit about 25 degrees (-3 celsius) which is much lower than the usual 60 degrees (15 celsius) for this time of year, per FOX Weather.

An expert revealed that the creature’s condition in the video is a survival tactic.

Officials in Beaufort, South Carolina, said: “When temperatures drop significantly, alligators can enter a state called brumation – similar to hibernation.

“They slow down their metabolism and become lethargic, allowing them to conserve energy when food is scarce.

“During a hard freeze, they often stick their snouts above the water to breathe, while the rest of their bodies become immobilized in the icy depths.”

A bitterly cold deep freeze has blanketed huge areas of the typically warm South.

More than 31 million Americans were put under a rare winter storm warning last week.

Areas from southern Texas across to Georgia and even up to Virginia were affected by unprecedented snow, sleet, and Arctic winds.

At least 10 people died from the brutal and surprise storms that gripped the vast region.

In South Texas, three people died from exposure to the bitter cold.

A car accident, caused by icy road conditions, killed five others, Uvalde County Constable Emmanuel Zamora said.

A 27-year-old woman was killed in Alabama after she lost control of her vehicle on a snow-covered road in Ozark, about 86 miles south of Montgomery.

In Pinckard, Alabama, a 37-year-old man was killed when his home went up in flames after he left his stove on trying to stay warm, the coroner’s office said.