Central Florida will experience a roller coaster ride in the weather over the next several days as temperatures are expected to soar to near record highs on Saturday, then tumble to near record lows by early next week.

The drop will bring the coldest weather the region has seen since mid-February.

“It will be a big change. It may catch some people off guard,” said Robert Haley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne. “We’ll go from pretty warm on Saturday to pretty cool on Tuesday.”

Saturday’s highs are expected to peak at 86 degrees, just three degrees shy of the record set a decade ago.

Then an unusual cold snap will blanket Central Florida, bringing teeth-chattering temperatures starting Monday when the thermometer will reach 66 degrees and then plummet to lows near 40 degrees overnight, according to the weather service. That would be just five degrees above the record cold for Nov. 10 set in 1913.

With wind gusts forecast to reach up to 25 mph, it will seem as if temperatures are in the mid- and upper 30s, according to forecasters.

On Tuesday, highs in Orlando are expected to reach just 60 degrees with the wind again making it feel colder, forcing many people to search for their gloves, caps and jackets they stored away last winter.

“We’ve had some cool days recently, but this will be the most impactful by far,” Haley said. “This will have a bite to it.”

Skies will be mostly sunny through the weekend and into early next week, according to the forecast.

The gyrating temperatures are caused by the jet stream — bands of strong wind that blow from west to east across North America — plunging into the southeastern United States, bringing in cold air from the north.

For those who like to wear shorts, t-shirts and sandals, there’s some good news coming up. Temperatures will begin to rebound by Wednesday to more seasonal levels, with a high forecast at 71 degrees.

Although some residents may not approve of the brisk air, it can change the color of fruit on citrus trees — including oranges and tangerines — to make it seem more appealing.

For ripening citrus to turn from green to orange, it needs temperatures at just below 55 degrees. The colder air helps break down chlorophyll, the pigment that plants use to make food during photosynthesis.

“Peel color is influenced by how cold the winter was,” said Matt Smith, a commercial crop production agent for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, or UF/IFAS, who is based in Winter Garden.

Smith said, however, that he has not seen any reliable research data that proves cold temperatures lead to sweeter citrus fruit, a long held belief for generations of Floridians.

“It is definitely something that citrus growers have heard since they were kids,” he said. “But sugar development happens with warmer temperatures.”

So should homeowners with citrus trees in their yards protect them during next week’s cold snap?

“I’m not worried about freezing temperatures” occurring next week, Smith said. “Enjoy the cool weather.”