Severe storms expected in Mississippi Friday. Here’s the weekend weather forecast

‘You could see some wind gusts upward of 60 mph. Really, any storms that develop across the state could have heavy downpours and frequent lightning.’

• Mississippi is expected to experience continued thunderstorms with gusty winds, heavy rain, and lightning.
• A marginal risk of severe storms with potential wind gusts up to 60 mph is predicted for eastern and southern Mississippi on Friday.
• The hot and humid weather pattern is expected to persist throughout the weekend, with afternoon showers and thunderstorms likely.
• Residents are advised to do yard work early in the day to avoid the afternoon storms.

Mississippi has seen daily isolated thunderstorms with gusty winds, heavy rain and lightning. According to the National Weather Service in Jackson, that pattern will continue for the foreseeable future with the possibility of severe storms Friday in portions of eastern and southern Mississippi.

“It’s really what we’ve been looking at for the last several days,” said Alan Campbell, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson. “With the heat and humidity, essentially in the heat of the day, we have an unsettled air mass.”

The greater chance of severe storms is south of a line from Amite County northeast to eastern Noxubee County on Friday afternoon and evening. That area is under a Level 1 Risk, or Marginal Risk, of isolated severe storms.

“It’s looking like that part has a chance of severe weather,” Campbell said. “The main threat is damaging wind gusts with those storms.

“You could see some wind gusts upward of 60 mph. Really, any storms that develop across the state could have heavy downpours and frequent lightning.”

And if you’re planning to cut grass this weekend, doing it early in the day is your best bet to avoid rain as well as heat.

“For the rest of the weekend, it’s looking like the same thing,” Campbell said. “Kind of getting into that typical summer pattern of hot and humid and afternoon showers and thunderstorms.”

National Weather Service weekend forecast in, near Jackson

• Friday: A 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 100. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph. New rainfall amounts between a 10th and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Friday Night: A 10% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind.
• Saturday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 10 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Heat index values as high as 102. Calm wind becoming south-southwest around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
• Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Calm wind.
• Sunday: A slight chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 10 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South-southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

National Weather Service weekend forecast in, near Hattiesburg

• Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 5 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Heat index values as high as 98. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Friday Night: A 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind.
• Saturday: A slight chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 10 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 98. Calm wind becoming west-southwest around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
• Sunday: A chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms after 10 a.m. High near 93. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Sunday Night: A 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South-southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Mississippi weather radar

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