National Weather Service issues special weather statement that dropping temperatures could bring a wintry mix of precipitation.

As temperatures shoot past 50 degrees during the daytime over the next 30-plus hours, keep an eye on Tuesday night — it could all change rapidly.

The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement that dropping temperatures in the coming evenings could bring with them a wintry mix of precipitation.

Specifically targeting Tuesday, from southwestern Alabama across the Emerald Coast, an arctic cold front approaching from the west could bring a dusting of rain, sleet or snow.

The weather service stated that late Tuesday afternoon patches of light wintry precipitation are possible over interior southeast Mississippi and interior southwest Alabama.

Southeastern Alabama and Northwest Florida then come into play during the evening as the arctic cold front moves through the region. While no accumulation of wintry precipitation is expected, a light dusting of snow in some locations cannot be ruled out, according to the weather service.

Much colder air flows into the area in the wake of the cold front will see temperatures range from the upper-teens well inland to the upper-20s at the coast.

A Hard Freeze Watch is now in effect for late Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning generally along and west of the I-65 corridor. Wednesday night will be a bit colder with mid-teens well inland ranging to mid-20s at the coast. A Hard Freeze Watch may become necessary for most of the area.

Along the coast, from Santa Rosa to Walton County, overnight temperatures are as follows from the National Weather Service: Tuesday, 31; Wednesday, 24; Thursday, 32.

It's a colder story inland, using Crestview's forecast as an example: Tuesday, 28; Wednesday, 21; Thursday, 27.

The weather service noted that northerly winds from 10 to 15 mph will combine with the very cold temperatures to create wind chill values of 5 to 10 degrees over interior areas from late Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning, and a Wind Chill Advisory will likely become necessary for this portion of the area.

Residents across the region should make preparations for cold temperatures late Tuesday into Thursday morning and also continue to monitor the latest forecasts regarding the potential for light wintry precipitation late Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night.

The good news is as quickly as the frigid temperatures come to the area, they will be gone by the weekend.

The high Friday is 56 degrees and climbs into the 60s by Saturday and remains there well into the next week. The low each night is in the mid-40s.