Mar 4, 2024
After a brief cooldown at the end of last week, spring-like weather has returned to Northeast Mississippi. With highs in the 70’s (above average for this time of year) and rain scattered throughout the workweek, this week’s weather will feel much more like early spring than late winter. That being said, while astronomical winter still has about two more weeks left, meteorological spring began on Friday. “What’s the difference?”, you may ask, the date of astronomical spring is determined by the earth’s position in its orbit around the sun. The date of the spring equinox can change annually depending on when the sun is directly over the equator.
Meteorological spring, on the other hand, is marked by the transition from cooler temperatures to warmer temperatures and is always from March 1 through May 31.
FORECAST FOR THE WORK WEEK
Tonight into Tuesday morning, rain chances will increase steadily as a broad area of rain out front of a cold front in the Great Plains moves into our area. The cold front itself will not pass through Northeast Mississippi until Wednesday, but the rain will impact us much earlier. The highest rain chances for Tuesday look to be between 5 AM and 3 PM, but some showers could hang around overnight into early Wednesday morning. Tuesday’s high is expected to be around 71 with a low of 57.
Conditions look much clearer for Wednesday as higher pressure moves into the area
following the frontal passage. The front will not have much of an impact on our temperatures as
we are expected to hit our warmest high temperature of the week, near 76⁰, with a low around
52⁰. We should see mostly sunny skies and calm to light winds on Wednesday.
The dry weather should remain in place for most of Thursday as well with a slight chance
for some showers in the afternoon. Thursday’s high should be in the mid 70’s with a low in the
upper 50’s.
The dry weather should remain in place for most of Thursday with a slight chance for some showers in the afternoon. Thursday’s high should be in the mid 70’s with a low in the upper 50’s.
The chance for rain will increase drastically overnight Thursday into Friday as a low
pressure system makes its away across the South. The system will bring an abundance of
rain (something to take note of if you are heading out of town for Spring Break), and cooler
temperatures. Friday’s high will be around 70⁰ with a low in the mid 50’s. Showers and storms
should be expected for most of the day, Friday, through the early morning hours on Saturday.
Because of the heavy rain on Friday, the National Weather service is watching for the
potential of flash flooding in much of Mississippi, including our area.
WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK
The weekend looks to be drier and cooler as high pressure moves in following the late-
week system. Expect to see highs in the low 60’s on Saturday and Sunday with lows around 40⁰.
Conditions should stay about the same, seasonable and dry, for the start of next week.
Caleb Bowman
Student Meteorologist