The heat wave continues into this weekend, with highs expected to reach the upper 90s. It seems the intense heat may be coming to an end though, at least for now. The ushering in of cooler air is also expected to coincide with a chance of thunderstorms Sunday afternoon/evening into Sunday night. In fact, a sounding at 4 pm Sunday for part of SW Mississippi shows a marginal possibility for severe thunderstorms.
Despite the sounding’s listing for a marginal severe threat, the wind shear is fairly low compared to most severe weather soundings, which means tornadoes should be out of the picture. Any severe threat would probably be due to what’s known as a pulse storm, which is a summertime variety storm that happens to have a bit of extra kick to its updraft, which can increase the potential for hail and strong winds.
This type of storm tends to be very localized, so there is not much of a threat for widespread severe storms. Just be on the lookout for any pop up storms and the classic risks they pose: strong winds, small hail, and localized flooding.
After Sunday, cooler air is expected to arrive, at least for a few days. The highs on Tuesday might not even hit 90 depending on the area.
The persistent ridging that had occurred over the area the past few weeks has eased, which is why the temperatures are expected to cool down. Towards the latter part of the work week, a new ridge is expected to form over the Southeast.
This large area of ridging will allow warmer temperatures to once again enter the area, though the temperatures are not expected to be as high as they have been the past two weeks. It is also interesting to note a closed low over Texas that is projected on Thursday, which should result in humid air being pulled from the Gulf into MS, which could drive up the heat indexes but also limit how much heating will be possible.
Day to Day Forecast
Saturday
Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 90s. Heat index around 105F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 70s. Winds SW at around 5 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Sunday
Partly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms later in the day. Highs in the upper 90s. Heat index around 105. Winds in variable directions at 5-10 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 70s. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Monday
Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs around 90F. Winds NNE at 5-10 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Monday Night
Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s. Winds NE at around 5 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms later in the day. Highs in the upper 80s. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60 percent.
Tuesday Night
Cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 70s. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy with a slight chance for thunderstorms later in the day. Highs in the lower 90s. Heat index in the upper 90s. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. Winds SSE at around 5 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Thursday
Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 90s. Heat index in the upper 90s. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Thursday Night
Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 70s. Winds S at around 5 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Friday
Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 90s. Heat index in the upper 90s. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 10 percent.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. Winds SSW at around 5 mph. Chance of rain 10 percent.
