MS News Now, First Alert Weather Blog

Ida Departs; Clouds Break Gradually Tuesday

TUESDAY: As Ida’s circulation pulls away, lingering showers will be possible north of I-20 along with breezy W/NW winds. Drier air will continue to filter in from the west, allowing for some sun breaks through the afternoon hours, allowing for highs to work their way to into the 80s. Areas east of I-55, where clouds will be more dominant, will see highs in the lower to middle 80s; west of I-55, 80s to near 90 with more afternoon sun. Skies will continue to clear overnight as the storms moves farther away with lows in the upper 60s to lower 70s. 


WEDNESDAY: An approaching front will help to usher in drier air through the middle to latter part of the work week. Expect mostly to partly sunny skies – along the front, a few showers and storms may flare up, but chances will remain isolated. Highs will top out in the lower to middle 90s. We’ll drop into the 60s to lower 70s overnight with mostly clear skies. 
 
EXTENDED FORECAST: In Ida’s wake a front will help drag down a fresh, drier air mass through late week – pulling down humidity levels and temperatures. We’ll turn dry and bright Thursday and Friday with highs, generally, in the 80s; lows dipping well into the 60s. High pressure will begin to scoot off toward the east, bringing back an uptick in humidity by the weekend, yielding a chance for a few storms – yet not a washout with highs in the lower 90s, lows near 70. 


TALKIN' TROPICS: Ida continues to weaken, but is still bringing heavy rain and gusty breezes to Tennessee and Alabama this morning - the general track continue to push it farther east, drenching parts of the Mid-Atlantic over the next day or so. In the Atlantic basin, Tropical Depression Kate continues to be disorganized and it pushes farther north and remaining out at sea. A wave coming off Africa has a high chance for development to either a tropical depression or storm by the end of the week. If it garners a name, its name would be 'Larry'. In Caribbean, a weak disturbance off the Central American coast has a low chance for development, but we'll continue to monitor it over the next few days.

 
Patrick Ellis 
WLBT/FOX 40 First Alert Meteorologist 
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @PatrickEllisWx

ALERT DAY: Rain, Wind Impacts From Ida Through Monday

IDA AND ITS IMPACTS: An ALERT DAY will be in place through Monday as Ida makes its way through central and southwest Mississippi, bringing rain, wind and the possibility of a few tornadoes as well. Expect strong wind gusts of 40-70 mph to continue through mid-morning before tapering to 30-50 mph gusts as the storm continues to weaken through the day. All the while, near and east of I-55, expect heavy rain that could lead up to flooding concerns and the potential for spin-up tornadoes as Ida unravels along its northward trek. Gradually, things will tamp down through tonight as the storm begins to lift toward NE Mississippi.  "




TUESDAY: As Ida’s circulation pulls away, lingering showers will be possible north of I-20 along with breezy W/NW winds. Drier air will continue to filter in from the west, allowing for some sun breaks through the afternoon hours, allowing for highs to work their way toward the middle to upper 80s. Skies will continue to clear overnight as the storms moves farther away with lows in the 70s. 
 
EXTENDED FORECAST: Ida will help drag down a front to usher in a fresh, drier air mass through mid-week – pulling down humidity levels and temperatures. Highs Wednesday will still manage near 90 with a few hit and miss storms possible. We’ll turn dry and bright Thursday and Friday with highs in the upper 80s to near 90; lows dipping well into the 60s. High pressure will begin to scoot off toward the east, bringing back an uptick in humidity by the weekend, yielding a chance for a few storms – yet not a washout with highs in the lower 90s, lows near 70. 
 
Patrick Ellis 
WLBT/FOX 40 First Alert Meteorologist 
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @PatrickEllisWx

Summery Pattern Ends Saturday; Ida Impacts Likely Late Sunday, Into Next Week

FRIDAY: High pressure to our east and a persistent flow off the Gulf will hold the line to round out the work week. Expect a mix of sun and clouds with a risk for a few afternoon showers and storms, drifting from southeast to northwest. Highs will top out in the lower to middle 90s. Storms will fade after sunset with lows in the middle 70s
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WEEKEND PLANNER: Saturday will likely be the last ‘traditional’ summery day ahead of Ida, which could bring rain and wind to central and southwest Mississippi, as early as late Sunday. Expect the southeast flow to continue, keeping chance for a few storms here and there amid partly to variably cloudy skies by the afternoon hours. Highs will top out in the lower to middle 90s. Sunday will be the transition point – as clouds and opportunities for rain and storms begin to increase through the back half of the day as Ida approaches. Expect highs in the 80s to near 90.  
 
IDA AND ITS IMPACTS: Tropical Storm Ida will make its way into the Gulf of Mexico Saturday morning and looks to make a landfall along the northern Gulf Coast between far eastern Texas to the Mississippi Gulf Coast by Sunday – leaving little reactionary time. At any rate, impacts could be felt locally as early as late Sunday and will continue into Monday and parts of Tuesday with periods of rain and wind – even the risk for spin-up tornadoes. Exact impacts are still fuzzy but will come more into focus through the day ahead. Take the time today and tomorrow to prepare your homes for inland tropical impacts – and if you have interests along the immediate Gulf Coast, take those precautions as soon as possible. 
 
EXTENDED FORECAST: Ida will be large part of ‘medium range’ forecast for central and southwest Mississippi feature heavy pockets of rain, wind and potential for severe weather through mid-week as the storms unravels. Gradually, we’ll shift back to a more typical early September pattern with highs in the lower 90s amid a mix of sun and clouds with a few hit and miss storms past Wednesday.  
 

Patrick Ellis
WLBT/FOX 40 First Alert Meteorologist
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @PatrickEllisWx

Summery Pattern Continues; TD 9 Forms In Caribbean

THURSDAY: The upper wind flow will shift more off the Gulf of Mexico through the day – with it, expect a mix of sun and clouds giving way to scattered, mainly afternoon, showers and storms to develop. Highs will top out, generally, in the lower to middle 90s. Storms may have some staying power after sunset in a few instances before fizzling out with a partly clear sky. Lows will fall to the lower to middle 70s.


FRIDAY: High pressure to our east and a persistent flow off the Gulf will hold the line to round out the work week. Expect a mix of sun and clouds with a risk for a few afternoon showers and storms, drifting from southeast to northwest. Highs will top out in the lower to middle 90s. Storms will fade after sunset with lows in the middle 70s.

EXTENDED FORECAST: With the ridge off to the east, expect a similar set up through Saturday as what we’ve seen through late week – a mix of clouds and sun with highs in the lower to middle 90s with a risk for afternoon downpours. The upper ridge to our east will also be a main driver in the extended forecast. With TD #9 has forming near Jamaica and expected to strengthen, as early as today, into a tropical storm. It continues to look less and less likely that we will escape this system and its impacts as we head into end of the weekend and into early next week. The most likely solution at this point is that the storm will ‘shoot the gap’ between the Yucatan and Cuba, emerge into the Gulf of Mexico Saturday and quickly advance and quickly strengthen as it moves toward the NW. Exact location of landfall and potential impacts are still to be seen.

Patrick Ellis
WLBT/FOX 40 First Alert Meteorologist
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @PatrickEllisWx

Heat Bubble Bursts Late Week; Eyeing Tropics

WEDNESDAY: A small weakness in the upper ridge will allow for a slightly better chance for showers and storms to flare up through the afternoon and evening hours. Expect a mostly to partly sunny day – highs will top out in the 90s; feeling closer to 110. Storms will track from east to west through early evening before fizzling out late. Lows will fall to the middle 70s. 


THURSDAY: The upper wind flow will shift more off the Gulf of Mexico through the day – with it, expect a mix of sun and clouds giving way to scattered, mainly afternoon, showers and storms to develop. Highs will top out, generally, in the lower 90s. Storms may have some staying power after sunset in a few instances before fizzling out with a partly clear sky.  

 
EXTENDED FORECAST: As the ridge begins to buckle and shift eastward through late week – highs will ease back toward ‘near-normal’ levels and an increase in opportunity for showers and storms to flare up each afternoon. Highs will be in the lower 90s; overnights in the lower to middle 70s. Rain chances each day will run 30-40%. 

CARIBBEAN DISTURBANCE: The Gulf of Mexico could become more active over the next few days - a disturbance, currently in the Caribbean, has HIGH potential for development through the end of the week and into the weekend. A large area of high pressure will hang off the Carolina coastline to push whatever enters the Gulf, farther west. BUT, a weaker area of high pressure could allow for this system to shift farther east.Still a lot of questions to work through over the next few days and NOTHING is set in stone. A disturbance to our west could, in the very least, increase rain chance opportunities through early to mid-week.  


Patrick Ellis 
WLBT/FOX 40 First Alert Meteorologist 
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @PatrickEllisWx

 

ALERT DAY: Heat Continues To Beam Down On Mississippi Mid-Week

TUESDAY: Yet again, excessive heat will be an issue to contend with through the day. An ALERT DAY continues due to this combination of heat and humidity. Skies will be mostly sunny through the day with isolated opportunities for a cooling shower or storm to flare up. Highs will top out in the 90s to near 100 – feels like temperatures will run near 105-115. We’ll clear the skies overnight with lows in the middle 70s by early Wednesday. 


WEDNESDAY: A small weakness in the upper ridge will allow for a better chance for showers and storms to flare up through the afternoon and evening hours, especially near and south of I-20. Expect a mostly to partly sunny day – highs will top out in the 90s; feeling closer to 110. Storms will track from east to west through early evening before fizzling out late. Lows will fall to the middle 70s. 

 
EXTENDED FORECAST: As the ridge begins to buckle and shift eastward through late week – highs will ease back toward ‘near-normal’ levels and an increase in opportunity for showers and storms to flare up each afternoon. Highs will be in the lower 90s; overnights in the lower to middle 70s. Rain chances each day will run 30-40%. While nothing is of note in the tropics as of yet, we’ll be watching the Caribbean and the Gulf for potential development through the weekend and into next week.  
 
Patrick Ellis 
WLBT/FOX 40 First Alert Meteorologist 
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @PatrickEllisWx

ALERT DAY: Searing August Heat Returns

MONDAY: An ALERT DAY is in place to kick off the new work and school week due to EXCESSIVE HEAT across central and southwest Mississippi. Expect a mostly to partly sunny day with a chance for a few storms by the afternoon hours. The strong upper ridge will keep storm development isolated in nature; the ridge will also provide elevated heat with highs well into the 90s – feeling closer to 105-115. Any storms will tend to fade after sunset – with lows dropping into the middle 70s. 


TUESDAY: Yet again, excessive heat will be an issue to contend with through the day. Skies will be mostly sunny through the day with very isolated opportunities for a cooling shower or storm to flare up. Highs will top out in the 90s to near 100 – feels like temperatures will run near 105-115. We’ll clear the skies overnight with lows in the middle 70s by early Wednesday. 


EXTENDED FORECAST: Our heat wave looks to continue through Wednesday with highs still managing the middle to upper 90s with a few hit and miss storm chances by the afternoon hours. As the ridge begins to buckle through late week – highs will ease back toward ‘near-normal’ levels and an increase in opportunity for showers and storms to flare up each afternoon. Highs will be in the lower 90s; overnights in the lower to middle 70s. Rain chances each day will run 30-40%.  
 
Patrick Ellis 
WLBT/FOX 40 First Alert Meteorologist 
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @PatrickEllisWx

Scattered Storms to Sizzling Heat

FRIDAY: Rain chances will remain elevated to round out the work week across central and southwest Mississippi. Expect partly sunny to variably cloudy skies with scattered downpours at times. Coverage may not be as great as Thursday’s but be prepared for heavy downpours. Outside of that, expect highs in the upper 80s and lower 90s. Skies will gradually clear with lows in the 70s overnight.  



WEEKEND PLANNER: A ridge of high pressure will expect westward over the region in the coming days. This will lower our rain chances and uptick the heat and humidity combination. Best chances for rain and storms will generally be east of I-55 through the weekend. Expect highs in the middle 90s, lows in the middle to upper 70s with a mix of sun and clouds both days. 

EXTENDED FORECAST: The upper ridge will hold over central and southwest Mississippi through much of next week. Expect highs in the middle to, a few, upper 90s, lows in the middle 70s, leading to potential heat stress issues through much of next week. Rain chances will remain slim through mid-week before the ridge breaks later in the week, yielding higher rain chances and lower heat issues. 
 
TROPICS: Grace will make a second landfall in central Mexico either tonight or early Saturday morning – likely as a hurricane. Tropical Storm Henri will turn northward today and is likely to strengthen to hurricane status today or tomorrow. A shift in the track guidance puts New England in line to experience impacts from the storm into next week. Neither storm will bring impacts to central and southwest Mississippi.
 
Patrick Ellis 
WLBT/FOX 40 First Alert Meteorologist 
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @PatrickEllisWx 

Downpour Potential Late Week; Searing Heat Next Week

THURSDAY: We’ll trend a bit more active Thursday as another disturbance kicks up on the western side of a ridge to our east. Expect variably cloudy skies with highs, generally, in the upper 80s to lower 90s. A general scattering of downpours will flare up through the afternoon and evening hours that could yield heavy downpours at times. Storms will fade through early evening with lows in the 70s. 
 


FRIDAY: Rain chances will remain elevated to round out the work week across central and southwest Mississippi. Expect variably cloudy skies with scattered downpours developing through the afternoon. Coverage may not be as great as Thursday’s but be prepared for heavy downpours. Outside of that, expect highs in the upper 80s and lower 90s. Skies will gradually clear with lows in the 70s overnight.  

EXTENDED FORECAST: A ridge of high pressure will expect westward over the region in the coming days. This will lower our rain chances and uptick the heat and humidity combination. Expect highs in the middle to, a few, upper 90s, lows in the middle 70s, leading to potential heat stress issues through much of next week. Rain chances will remain slim through mid-week before the ridge breaks later in the week, yielding higher rain chances and lower heat issues. 
 
TROPICS: Tropical Storm Grace made a landfall as a category 1 hurricane this morning, near Tulum, Mexico. This storm is trekking quickly westward across the Yucatan peninsula and is expected to emerge into the Bay of Campeche later today. There is the possibility the storm could restrengthen to hurricane status before making a second landfall in Mexico. Tropical Storm Henri continues to meander near Bermuda and is likely to strengthen to hurricane status before the weekend. A shift in the track guidance puts New England in line to potentially experience impacts from the storm into next week. Neither storm will bring impacts to central and southwest Mississippi.


Patrick Ellis 
WLBT/FOX 40 First Alert Meteorologist 
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @PatrickEllisWx

Summery Downpours to Sizzling Heat

WEDNESDAY: Expect a mix of clouds and sunshine to maneuver through your mid-week – though, by the afternoon hours, chances for widely spaced showers and storms will flare up. Highs will top out in the lower to middle 90s. The highest chances for rain will generally be near and north of I-20, thanks to a disturbance clipping the area near Memphis. Rain chances may have some staying power after sunset in our northern areas with lows in the 70s. 

 
THURSDAY: We’ll trend a bit more active Thursday as another disturbance kicks up on the western side of a ridge to our east. Expect variably cloudy skies with highs, generally, in the upper 80s to lower 90s. A general scattering of downpours will flare up through the afternoon and evening hours that could yield heavy downpours at times. Storms will fade through early evening with lows in the 70s. 

EXTENDED FORECAST: Rain chances may remain somewhat elevated to round out the work week with a mix of clouds and sun and highs in the lower 90s. By the weekend and into next week, an upper ridge will expand over the area, lowering rain chances and cranking up the heat. Expect highs in the middle 90s, lows in the middle 70s, leading to potential heat stress issues through much of next week.  
 
TROPICS: Tropical Storm Grace is likely to strengthen to hurricane status through the day ahead as it treks westward through the northern Caribbean. It will likely cross the Yucatan peninsula by Thursday morning before emerging into the Bay of Campeche and continuing into central Mexico by the weekend. Tropical Storm Henri continues to meander near Bermuda and is likely to strengthen to hurricane status before the weekend. The storm remains off the US coastline.  

 
Patrick Ellis 
WLBT/FOX 40 First Alert Meteorologist 
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @PatrickEllisWx