Twin States Weather Blog

Front Slicing Southward...

* Our first strong front of Fall is making rapid progress towards Mississippi and Alabama. Radar imagery shows a decent band of showers and thunderstorms across northern Mississippi. A few of these storms have prompted severe thunderstorm warnings across northwest Mississippi, and they are moving southeast. Looking at radar, I have to wonder if we shouldn't increase rain chances for this morning.

* There is a rather distinct temperature swing behind the approaching cold front. Temperatures in northern Arkansas have fallen into the 50's, with dewpoints in the 40's. Meanwhile, in the southern part of the state, temperatures are in the lower 80's! 82 is the current temperature in DeQueen, Arkansas, while Fayetteville reports 57 at the midnight hour. Nice, crisp front.

* Latest from NHC on the area of thunderstorms in the Caribbean:

A BROAD LOW PRESSURE AREA IS CENTERED OVER THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN SEAS BETWEEN JAMAICA...THE CAYMAN ISLANDS...AND HONDURAS. WHILE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS BECOME MORE CONCENTRATED BETWEEN JAMAICA AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS...IT HAS CHANGED LITTLE IN ORGANIZATION NEAR THE CENTER OF THE LOW. HOWEVER...UPPER-LEVEL WINDS ARE GRADUALLY
BECOMING MORE FAVORABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT...AND THIS SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION OVER THE NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO AS IT MOVES WEST-NORTHWESTWARD ABOUT 10 MPH. AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS SCHEDULED TO INVESTIGATE THE SYSTEM TOMORROW MORNING... IF
NECESSARY. INTERESTS IN THE NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA AND ADJACENT LAND AREAS SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM.

* Also, some information to pass along about burning...PLEASE do not burn anything in the next few days. Things have been rather dry, and with lower humidity and stiff winds expected for the next few days after the front passes, there is a higher than usual chance for fires to get out of hand. Here's the word from NWS Jackson:

.FIRE WEATHER...THE MS FORESTRY COMMISSION HAS CONTINUED BURN BANS OVER SECTIONS OF SOUTH AND EAST MS. LARGE AMOUNTS OF VEGETATIVE DEBRIS REMAIN ACROSS THESE LOCATIONS AND RAINFALL TOTALS HAVE BEEN INSUFFICIENT TO ALLEVIATE THE FIRE DANGER. FIRE DANGER WILL INCREASE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. NORTHWEST BREEZES WILL USHER DRIER AIR
ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA TOMORROW.

posted by WTOK Weather Staff @ 12:33 AM