Warm Pattern Continues but Rain Trying To Creep Back

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Today's forecast:
Jackson, MS-------High 76 Low 54

Starkville, MS-----High 74 Low 47

Meridian, MS------High 76 Low 52

Vicksburg, MS-----High 76 Low 49

Greenwood, MS----High 76 Low 43

Tupelo, MS--------High 72 Low 43

Hattiesburg, MS---High 76 Low 56

Pascagoula, MS----High 72 Low 56




~Jackson, MS

Currently~as of 8:30a.m.
A good Monday to you all and Happy Presidents Day! I hope everyone had a fantastic and lovely weekend. Surely, I'm hoping that you had a chance to get out of the house and enjoy the beautiful Spring-like weather. It certainly does not feel like we are still in the month of February. Temperatures this weekend had highs in the mid 70s throughout with Saturday being the warmest day with 78 degrees around the Jackson area. It was two degrees away from 80! Even as we continue for the first part of this week, this weather pattern will still persist. Currently, temperatures are in the lower 60s and warming up very nicely. Thick clouds this morning but most of it should erode away by early afternoon. Even though we are remaining dry and sunny for the start of the week, we may see rain start to creep back into our forecast later today and sometime throughout the week.

What's Happening Atmospherically
We are still in the midst of a warm and dry weather pattern. Basically this involves good warm air advection at 850mb coming southwest out of the Gulf of Mexico. The chart to your right shows good warm air advection from the south still strong today at around this evening. We also have a surface high pressure which have also aided in allowing for sunny conditions throughout Mississippi. Observing current water vapor images, it is very dry and warm in the Gulf. So since this surface high pressure circulates in a clockwise fashion, it helps to bring in this dry and warm conditions to the South. However, we could see some moisture later this evening.

Later this afternoon we are going to have a cold front swing through the Arkansas and Mississippi region. Due to this and the pressure gradient, we will have windy conditions today but nothing to warn about concerning hazardous wind conditions. So as this cold front extends further south, it will bring moisture back into the region. According to the Climate Prediction Center, we do have a little bit of drought going on so precipitation is needed in the area especially south MS. However, due to the lack of moisture mostly held up north and the lack of forcing we won't see much of precipitation. At best, we will have light showers and sprinkles. The map to your left is the QPF chart(Quantitative Precipitation Forecast). It is showing that between the hours of 6pm this evening to Tuesday morning at 1:00am, a little under 0.01" of rain will have fallen between those time. So, no need to expect much from rainfall total as the likeliest area to see rain is in north MS mostly along the Hwy 82 corridor. This cold front will do three things for us: 1st-Bring windy condition through today 2nd-Overcast conditions tonight 3rd-Slightly drop day-time temperatures tomorrow. This front will look to stall a bit over the South throughout overnight which will be reason for overcast skies.

Instead of being in the mid 70s tomorrow, temperatures will drop closer to our average and end of being in the mid 60s and possibly still in the lower 70s. By Wednesday, a ridge of another surface high pressure will have settled across the region as well as warm air advection will go back to coming out of the south to give us highs back into the 70s once more.

Today
A little bit windier today as an approaching front moves through Mississippi this evening. Winds will be between 10-15 mph mainly out of the south and will gust at times to 30mph. We may get a few sprinkles here and there, but nothing major. Highs around the Jackson will be in the mid 70s with scattered cumulus clouds. It will make for yet another beautiful day.

Tonight
Skies should be covered tonight, but yet it will still be relatively warm with lows dropping into the lower 50s. The wind will have calm down just a tad bit with winds out of the north between 5-10mph.

Tuesday's outlook
Slightly cooler tomorrow as this front completely moves out of the area. We should still be warm with highs in the mid to upper 60s. A sunny day as well with winds from the northwest at 5 to 10 mph.

Long-term
This coming Thursday should provide our next best chance for rain as another cold front swings through. We could possibly see some severe weather with this as conditions will be humid in front of this storm. Forecasts models will be a little clearer on this tomorrow. Other than that, it does not look like we will be escaping this warm weather pattern anytime soon. Enjoy your Monday and God bless!