MS News Now, First Alert Weather Blog

JULIA'S FORECAST: Severe weather possible this evening and tonight

Julia Weiden's Tuesday Forecast

SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING

AM Commute: Skies are mostly cloudy through the AM and temperatures are very mild for this time of year in the 70s. That's 30 degrees warmer than average. A brief, light shower is possible. Winds are blustery out of the south at 15-25 mph.

This Afternoon: Winds continue to pick up in intensity, gusting up to 40 mph at times. Isolated rain and thunderstorms are possible. We will have to watch any isolated thunderstorms for their potential to produce tornadoes. It will be a warm, muggy, and gusty day with temperatures in the upper 70s and low 80s.

This Evening and Tonight: This is the time frame we need to be on alert for severe weather! A band of rain and thunder approaches from the west, reaching the Mississippi river within a few hours after sundown (4:59pm). From there the storm races to the east end of the state by 7am, impacting most of central Mississippi in the middle of the night. The greatest concerns are strong winds, heavy downpours with flash flooding, and a brief tornado. 

Wednesday: Rain and storms will be east of I-55 during the morning commute. Showers end by midday and the sun comes out. It will be a pleasant afternoon with temperatures in the mid and upper 60s.

Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Weekday Mornings on WLBT and Fox40
Facebook: Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Twitter: @JuliaWeiden

Severe Weather Update

Lots of weather changes ahead...

TONIGHT: Clouds continue to increase this evening in advance of a strong storm system; a few showers develop, but nothing heavy or widespread.

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY: Isolated storms fire Tuesday afternoon in West Mississippi with the potential for damaging straight line wind. Then, a line of heavy rain and storms arrives tomorrow night ahead of a cold front; these storms will be capable of producing damaging wind, flash flooding, and a few tornadoes. The line moves across the state from west to east between approximately 9PM and 3AM, which is the main time frame for severe storms. Fortunately, this is not an overly favorable setup for a significant severe weather outbreak, but still something we'll need to take seriously. 

 A flash flood watch has been issued for Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning when we're expecting 2 to 4 inches of rain.

The rain ends Wednesday morning, followed by clearing and seasonably cool weather for the second half of the 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: Severe weather possible Tuesday afternoon and night

Julia Weiden's Monday Forecast

SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING

Good morning! We have active weather in the forecast for this week. Read on for what to expect today through the next few days.

Monday AM Commute: Clouds are thickening up, but overall it should be a pretty quiet drive into school and work this morning. Expect temperatures to feel milder in the mid and upper 50s. The sun comes up at 6:30 AM.

Monday Afternoon: We're dry through most of the day, but the chance for rain makes a comeback in the afternoon and evening. Isolated to scattered rain and thunder will mainly be along and south of the I-20 corridor. Highs today will be much warmer in the mid 70s under mostly cloudy skies.

Tuesday: We'll be heating up to the upper 70s and winds will increase. By the afternoon they'll be gusting up to 30 mph out of the southeast. Isolated thunderstorms develop Thursday afternoon, and some could be strong to severe. It is possible that we could see a couple storms capable of producing tornadoes.

Tuesday Evening & Overnight: A potent cold front tracks from west to east, bringing torrential rain and strong winds with it. Be prepared to see power outages, downed tree limbs, and even flash flooding through the overnight.

Wednesday: By morning, much of the rain and thunderstorm activity will be east of I-55. Showers and storms will likely be finally over by midday. The day will feature clearing skies and cooler temperatures in the mid 60s.

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

What is a "Tornato?"

Often times our First Alert Team of Meteorologist are asked to visit with students and talk to them about weather. Recently, I had a chance to visit with students in Pearl at Northside Elementary. They were so kind and well behaved. They have wonderful questions like this one, "What is a tornato?" Why did I write it as such? They all sent in thank you notes and one student asked that question just like that! Adorable! So here I am answering their question

A tornado is a violent rotating column of that extends from the base of a thunderstorm down to the ground. This is the official definition from the National Weather Service. As for when they develop and how, we are continuously looking at multiple atmospheric ingredients to see if in fact we could have the possibility of a tornado. 

Should you have a weather question, feel free to e-mail it to me at hsophia@wlbt.com!

Best,

Heather Sophia
Meteorologist

JULIA'S FORECAST: Rainy AM but clearing coming soon

Julia Weiden's Thursday Forecast

AM Commute: A line of rain and gusty winds moved through overnight, but just as forecast, the severe weather threat was very low. The highest gust we saw was in Jackson at 46 mph. Be mindful that wet leaves are likely on the ground, and it may be slippery if your morning commute involves walking. Otherwise, expect some light showers to linger along and south of the Natchez Trace. Temperatures are in the upper 50s and 60s.

This Afternoon: By midday I expect that we will be seeing much sunnier skies. Temperatures will be pleasant in the mid and upper 60s today, and the winds out of the NNW at 5-15 mph with some occasional higher gusts. All in all, it's going to be a beautiful day!

Weekend Ahead: We've got some gorgeous weather for the next few days. Friday morning we will wake up to cooler temperatures in the low 40s. The afternoon will be beautiful in the mid 60s with sun. Saturday morning will be the chilliest with temperatures in the upper 30s! Saturday afternoon will feature mostly sunny skies and highs in the low 60s. Clouds return Sunday with highs in the mid 60s.

Next Week: Prep yourself for soaking rain to make a comeback, especially on Tuesday and Wednesday. We'll keep you updated right here.

Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Weekday Mornings on WLBT & Fox40
Facebook: Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Twitter: @JuliaWeiden

Wednesday Afternoon Update

No real change in our thinking regarding tonight's storms. The primary risk for severe storms will be confined to the Delta, between approximately 9pm and midnight; even there, the severe threat is limited, but we can't rule out a few storms capable of producing damaging straight line wind, along with a brief period of heavy rain. 

Storms will progressively weaken as they move southeast. By the time the line reaches Central & South Mississippi (between midnight & 3am), storms should remain below severe limits. Otherwise, rainfall totals will run less than 1-half inch.

Clearing and turning cooler during the day tomorrow; highs drop into the upper 60s along with a cool north breeze. A reinforcing shot of chilly air arrives Friday, keeping temperatures below average through the weekend with highs in the 60s and morning lows in the 35 to 40 degree range! 

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: Dry today & a quick soaking tonight

Julia Weiden's Wednesday Forecast

AM Commute: Patches of fog are around again! Expect a dim gray to plague your morning commute, just like it has the past few days. Take it slow and use the low beams. The sun comes up at 6:26 AM. Temperatures will be in the mid 60s by 9 AM.

This Afternoon: We'll have sun at times, but overall the trend is to see thickening cloud cover. Despite that, we'll be pretty warm in the mid and upper 70s. Winds increase through the day, coming out of the south up to 20 mph. A few isolated thunderstorms are possible in the Delta in the late afternoon and evening, but most stay dry.

**TONIGHT**: Our next weather system passes through tonight. A line of rain and thunder will race across the state very quickly from northwest to southeast. Some strong to severe storms are possible in the Delta, but the severe weather threat is very low elsewhere. Rain and thunder will likely pass through between midnight and 3am for those living close to the Natchez Trace. Rain will be farther southeast by the morning commute on Thursday.

Into the Weekend: Thursday will clear out quickly and be much cooler in the mid and high 60s with a breeze out of the north. Friday continues to be sunny and breezy with temperatures in the mid 60s. Saturday will be sunny and cool with a high in the low 60s. Clouds return on Sunday. Overnight lows during this time will be crisp in the upper 30s and low 40s!

JULIA'S FORECAST: When will we see the sun?

Julia Weiden's Tuesday Forecast

AM Commute: Heads up for patches of fog this morning! Give yourself a couple extra minutes to get to school/work. Fog will burn off in the mid to late morning and reveal partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies. Temperatures through the AM commute are in the 50s. The sun comes up at 6:25 AM.

This Aftenoon: It's going to be a pretty nice day! We'll have more sunshine than we've seen in a while, which will heat us to the low 70s. The winds are light out of the north, up to 5 mph.

Rest of the Week: We're watching the next storm system approach from our west on Wednesday. Around central Mississippi, expect a mix of sun and clouds on Wednesday afternoon, breezier conditions, and warmer temps in the mid and upper 70s. Wednesday night is when rain and thunder becomes more likely as a cold front passes through. Winds will be blustery, but the severe weather threat is low. By the Thursday morning commute the rain and thunder will be in southeast Mississippi. Thursday and Friday will be cooler but still seasonable in the mid and upper 60s. The winds will still be breezy on Thursday and Friday but the skies mainly sunny.

Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Weekday Mornings on WLBT & Fox40
Facebook: Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Twitter: @JuliaWeiden

JULIA'S FORECAST: Next storm system coming in Wednesday

Julia Weiden's Monday Forecast

This Afternoon: The clouds are stubborn today! By mid afternoon we should have a bit more sunshine, especially in western parts of the state. The high today hits the mid and upper 60s. Winds are lioght out of the NNE at 5-10 mph.

Rest of the Week: We're on a warming trend for the next couple of days with Tuesday in the low 70s and Wednesday in the mid 70s. Tuesday will be a quiet day with mostly sunny skies. Our next storm system approaches on Wednesday. During the day on Wednesday expect to see the winds get blustery out of the southwest. Rain and thunder will approach the Delta first on Wednesday evening and pass through central Mississippi overnight into Thursday. Rain will likely be southeast of the Natchez Trace by the Thursday AM commute, but we'll keep you updated on any timing changes.

Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Weekday Mornings WLBT & Fox40
Facebook: Meteorologist Julia Weiden
Twitter: @JuliaWeiden

A Good Soaking Ahead

Big changes ahead over the coming hours and days...

FRIDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING: Rain along with a few storms increase in coverage this afternoon and evening in advance of a cold front; a few strong storms are possible with the potential for gusty straight line wind, but we are not expecting a major severe weather event. Otherwise, mild and very muggy; temperatures are running in the low 80s as of 2:30pm!

SATURDAY: Rain becomes widespread tonight and Saturday with the potential for 1 to 3 inches through tomorrow afternoon. Also, much cooler air arrives during the day; we hold in the middle to upper 60s until mid-late morning, then will slowly drop throughout the afternoon. Most spots fall into the 50s by sunset.

SUNDAY: Aside from a few spotty showers and drizzle, the soaking rain ends Saturday evening and night, then mostly cloudy, breezy, and cool with highs in the upper 50s and low 60s along with a chilly north wind. 

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