A powerful cold front is set to plunge Florida temperatures by up to 30 degrees, threatening the state's invasive iguana population. After a brief warm spell with record-chasing highs of 86 degrees in Jacksonville, arctic air will sweep through the state, dropping temperatures into the 30s and 40s in northern regions and the 50s in South Florida.

This weather whiplash follows a January freeze that killed an estimated tens of thousands of iguanas across South Florida. The cold-blooded reptiles become cold-stunned when temperatures dip below 50 degrees and can die if freezing conditions persist. During the previous cold snap, about 5,200 cold-stunned iguanas were collected by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for euthanasia or relocation.

The timing coincides with Florida's severe drought conditions, with 99 percent of the state experiencing drought and 35 counties under burn bans. The cold front, driven by dry northwest winds, could heighten wildfire risks as it passes through the state. While not expected to break temperature records, the front represents a significant seasonal shift as meteorological spring approaches March 1.