Tampa weather: Cold front will drop temperatures and possibly iguanas this weekend

TAMPA, Fla. - A blast of cold, dry air is pushing into Florida, delivering the coldest weekend temperatures of the fall season so far across the state.

Florida cold front arrival

What we know:

Colder and drier air starts filtering across the state on Friday to set up a sharp chill for the weekend. The coldest conditions will settle in during the morning hours on Saturday and Sunday, according to meteorologists.

Northern Florida will see morning lows fall into the lower 40s, with a few locations plunging into the upper 30s. Central Florida communities can expect readings between the upper 40s and lower 50s.

Falling iguanas possible

Local perspective:

Morning temperatures will drop into the 50s across South Florida, creating a sluggish weekend for local reptile populations. Temperatures in the lower 50s slow the animals down significantly, creating a marginal setup for iguanas falling out of trees.

Most iguanas living across the state cannot handle temperatures in the 40s, but the vast majority of the population resides in South Florida.

Sunshine State warmup

What we don't know:

Meteorologists have not determined the exact timing and coverage of scattered rain showers when clouds return early next week. Forecasters also have not pinpointed just how high afternoon temperatures will climb during the warmup.

Clouds will build across the state early next week, bringing rain chances back alongside milder air. The chilly weekend air will remain brief before temperatures steadily climb again.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13 Meteorologist Dave Osterberg, who tracked seasonal cold front models and temperature forecasts across Florida, as well as wildlife data detailing reptile cold responses.