MS News Now, First Alert Weather Blog

Beautiful Weather Ahead!

Spotty, hit and miss showers and storms continue this evening, but rainfall totals will remain light. A few additional showers are possible Wednesday in advance of a cold front that will deliver beautiful fall weather for the second half of this week. Highs fall into the upper 70s Friday through the weekend with morning lows in the lower 50s; in fact, upper 40s are possible Saturday and Sunday mornings!

In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Joaquin has developed east of the Bahamas, but is not a threat to the Gulf of Mexico. It will likely bring rain and gusty wind to the Northeast states late this weekend and early next week. 

Be sure to join us this evening and tonight on WLBT for the latest updates! You can also find me on social media: Facebook and Twitter

Michael Haynes

Few Showers, then Cooler!

A system in the Gulf is providing a better opportunity for rain... The good news is, we are expecting an increase in the number of showers through the middle of this week, but certainly not enough to make a significant impact on our drought conditions. The chance for rain at any given location is only between 30-40 percent through Wednesday. Otherwise, mostly cloudy with highs in the low 80s.

A change to beautiful fall weather as October begins! A cold front arrives Wednesday, then clearing and very comfortable for the remainder of the week; highs drop back into the upper 70s through the weekend along with lots of sunshine, low humidity, and a refreshing north breeze. Also, morning temperatures plummet into the 50s- Hello Fall!

Be sure to join us this evening and tonight on WLBT for the latest updates! You can also find me on social media: Facebook and Twitter

Michael Haynes

JULIA'S FORECAST: Extreme drought continues

Julia Weiden's First Alert Thursday Forecast

AM Commute: Nothing shocking here! The sky is mostly sunny, so get your sunglasses before you leave the house. The sun is up at 6:50 AM and the temperatures will be in the mid 70s by 9 AM.

This Afternoon: The day will feature a mix of sun and clouds, humidity, and highs in the low 90s. All in all, it still feels like summer. The chance for rain is very low.

Through the Weekend: Rain is hard to come by, but we do have slightly greater chances for isoalted thunderstorms on Saturday and Sunday. The high temperatures will be in the upper 80s both days, about 5 degrees warmer than average for this time of year. Humidity will feel very sticky.

Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Weekday Mornings on WLBT & Fox 40 
Facebook: Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Twitter: @JuliaWeiden

Last Day of Summer

Temperatures remain above average... Fall officially begins tomorrow, but it will still feel very warm with highs in the 85 to 90 degree range through the weekend. Fortunately, humidity levels will be tolerable compared to the oppressive heat we had for much of the summer. Otherwise, the chance for rain is low, although a few hit and miss showers are possible Wednesday, and each day through the end of this week.

In the tropics, Ida remains a tropical storm but is not a threat to the U.S.

Be sure to join us this evening and tonight on WLBT for the latest updates! You can also find me on social media: Facebook and Twitter

Michael Haynes

Slightly Cooler

Many locations received some much needed rain this morning. We didn't receive enough rain to drastically improve our ongoing drought, but still every bit helps; totals range from nearly one-half inch in South Mississippi to less than 1 tenth of an inch in Central Mississippi.

For the rest of this evening, mostly clear as slightly cooler and drier air arrives. Temperature fall to the low 60s tomorrow morning, then warm into the upper 80s by afternoon. We remain above average through the end of this week with highs in the upper 80s to near 90.

In the tropics, Ida remains a tropical storm and could become a hurricane later this week, but is no threat to the U.S.

Be sure to join us this evening and tonight on WLBT for the latest updates! You can also find me on social media: Facebook and Twitter

Michael Haynes

 

JULIA'S FORECAST: Rainy start to the day

Julia Weiden's First Alert Monday Forecast

 

AM Commute: We have rain! Take it slowly today- showers are mostly light around the metro area, with heavier rain farther to the south in the state. Temperatures start off in the upper 60s and low 70s. Skies are gray by the later part of the morning with rain winding down.

This Afternoon: The rain will be over and the sky will gradually clear through the afternoon. Expect increasing sun and lowering humidity. It should still be fairly gray at lunch time, but more sun is expected by the late afternoon. The humidity will also drop off a bit as well. Highs are in the mid and upper 80s.

Rest of the Week: Skies are mostly clear tonight and with temperatures reaching the upper 50s by daybreak. Tuesday and Wednesday will be in the upper 80s and low 90s with sun and low-end humidity. Wednesday is the first official day of fall! We'll ring it in at 3:21 AM.

Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Weekday Mornings on WLBT & Fox 40 
Facebook: Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Twitter: @JuliaWeiden

JULIA'S FORECAST: Extreme drought in Jackson

Julia Weiden's First Alert Friday Forecast

**The Jackson metro area is under EXTREME DROUGHT conditions. A burn ban is in place for Hinds County until 10/16, Rankin County until 10/1, and Madison County until 9/24. Many other counties are under a burn ban as well.**

AM Commute: The morning drive will be sunny and in the 60s and low 70s. No major issues are around other than a bright glare. The sun is up at 6:46 AM.

This Afternoon: It's a hot day that feels more like the heart of summer than the tail end of it. Highs are in the low and mid 90s with humidity. The skies are fully sunny with only a few high clouds.

This Weekend: It's going to be hot and humid through the weekend too! We're in the low and mid 90s both Saturday and Sunday. A spot shower isn't entirely ruled out on Sunday, but for now it's looking like we'll be staying dry and the drought will worsen.

Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Weekday Mornings on WLBT & Fox 40 
Facebook: Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Twitter: @JuliaWeiden

Mississippi Drought Update; Summer Continues

We've received our weekly update on the ongoing drought and the news is not good... According to the National Drought Mitigation Center, parts of Rankin, Hinds, Madison, Warren, and most of Yazoo Counties are now under 'Extreme Drought' conditions. On a severity scale of 0 to 4, this is a 3. Also, Severe Drought conditions have increased from 17% of the state last week to 19% this week. Moderate Drought conditions now include 29 % of the state. Total, 74% of the state is included in this drought... 

The main concern is agriculture/vegetation such as grass and plants. The dry conditions also increase the risk for wildfires, although rising humidity levels will help minimize the fire threat. Still, keep in mind that many counties remain under burn bans. If you are caught burning anywhere in these locations you are at risk for fines ranging between $100 and $500.   

As mentioned in a previous post, the year started off pretty good! Believe it or not, based on the totals measured at the Jackson International Airport, we actually received above average rainfall through June. But since July 1 we've been hard pressed to buy a drop of rain, receiving only 2.63 inches, putting us more than 8 inches below average (since July1). Any most of that came in the form of heavy downpours, causing much of the rain to runoff before the ground had a chance to absorb it. 

The chance for rain over the next week is very low. A few isolated showers are possible Sunday and Monday as a weak front moves into the state, but most of us will remain dry. October is typically our driest month of the year, so unless things change in a hurry, this drought will continue into the fall.

Otherwise, it will feel more like mid-Summer rather than mid-September. Fall officially begins next Wednesday, but our temperatures remain well above average with highs in the low to middle 90s through the weekend, then upper 80s and low 90s next week.

Be sure to join us this evening and tonight on WLBT for the latest updates! You can also find me on social media: Facebook and Twitter

Michael Haynes

JULIA'S FORECAST: Back to summer today?

Julia Weiden's First Alert Wednesday Forecast

AM Commute: Expect bright sunshine for your morning drive! The sun is up at 6:45 AM and only a few high clouds are in the sky. Temperatures are in the 60s and low 70s through the early hours. The humidity is more noticeable today.

This Afternoon:  The humidity continues to build and the temperatures rise into the upper 80s and low 90s. Overall, it's feeling a bit more like summer. Skies remain mostly sunny through the day.

Rest of the Week: The drought continues to worsen as the chances for rain remain slim to none. We're in the upper 80s and low 90s nearly every day with noticeable humidity, but at least it's bearable. Skies are mostly sunny pretty much every day. 

Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Weekday Mornings on WLBT & Fox 40 
Facebook: Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Twitter: @JuliaWeiden

JULIA'S FORECAST: Crisp & autumn-like start to the week!

Julia Weiden's First Alert Monday Forecast

AM Commute: It's a crisp, fall-like morning in the 50s! By 9 AM we'll be in the mid 60s. Get ready for a bright glare if you're commuting eastbound! The skies are fully sunny today.

This Afternoon: The humidity stays very low-end and the skies remain sunny, but the temperatures do start to get a bit warmer. By the mid afternoon we'll hit the low and mid 80s. Overall though it should be a gorgeous day.

Tonight: We have one last night in the 50s, so enjoy the cool air! Skies are clear tonight with light winds out of the southeast. The low in Jackson is expected to be about 57.

Rest of the Week: Tuesday will be the last of the very low humidity days. We'll be in the mid 80s with sunshine on the second day of the work week. Skies remain mostly sunny Wednesday and through the weekend, but the mugginess returns and we will be back in the low 90s.

Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Weekday Mornings on WLBT & Fox 40 
Facebook: Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Twitter: @JuliaWeiden