Here is a quick snippet from the article that will be posted shortly over on wdam.com……
A double-decker system is set to move into the area Monday. The first round will feature rain, turning to freezing rain and sleet for some. The second round will be much colder air spilling into the area.
The potential for frozen precipitation will create problems for roads, schools, businesses and the cold air will make a potentially dangerous situation for those without easy access to heat.
Near the WDAM Viewing Area, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Simpson, Smith, Jasper, Lawrence, Jeff Davis, Covington and Marion counties. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for Walthall County.
Other counties may be added at a later time.
What to expect:
Right now, it looks like as the next storm system moves into the area on Monday, rain will begin falling across the area by late morning. That rain will begin to mix with sleet at times as we head toward the afternoon and through the evening. Temperatures in some areas will be at or below freezing, while others will be near or above freezing.
The National Weather Service is concerned about dangerous ice accumulations for the counties listed above. .In other areas, nuisance-level ice accumulations are possible. In spots farther south, mostly liquid precipitation is expected.
Threats:
The concern is for ice accumulations of up to a 1/2-inch in the counties in the Winter Storm Warning. While up to 1/4-inch looks possible in the Winter Storm Watch. Other places will see some ice accumulations possible, but not likely. There will be places outside of the Watch and Warning areas that see ice accumulations of up to 1/10-inch.
The other concern is for a flash freeze. That is when all of the liquid precipitation that falls freezes before it can evaporate as colder air pummels into the area.
That means, even the people who see regular liquid precipitation may still end up with icy conditions because the rain that falls as liquid, hits the ground as a liquid and sits there as a liquid… freezes quickly later on Monday and into Tuesday morning before it can evaporate.
Timing:
The rain starts as early as Monday morning. It looks like the sleet will hold off until Monday around noon for the NW counties. By Monday afternoon, cold air will start to invade the Pine Belt. This is when concerns for freezing rain and ice accumulations begin.
By Monday evening, most spots will be near or below freezing – some places to the NW will be well-below freezing.
Overnight and into Tuesday morning is when black ice and roads freeze over will become a concern.
Unknowns:
Many. So far, there is some concern about if the sub-freezing air will out-pace the rain. That would mean freezing rain and sleet would begin earlier and accumulations would be thicker.
There is also some indication that the cold air would be overcome by the raindrops falling heavy enough to actually warm the air back to just above freezing, saving many places from dealing with ice accumulations.
This is a very unique setup and one that is – sadly – difficult to forecast
