textproduct: Jackson

KEY MESSAGES

- A strong cold front will bring a variety of impacts to the area as we finish up the week and go into early next week.

- There is a limited threat for strong storms preceding and following the front, and a line of strong to severe storms containing damaging wind gusts is Sunday night.

- Much colder air moving in Monday will bring a significant freeze threat to portions of the area Monday night.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 337 PM CDT Thu Mar 12 2026

Wind will diminish for the remainder of the afternoon as weak surface high settles in over the region, and this will make for a chilly overnight. Going into the weekend, the high will shift east resulting in increased return southerly flow. A stout upper trough will support a rapidly deepening surface low across the plains, and it's attendant cold front will be the focus for our next storm chances. Shear is strong with this system and combined with what will probably be sufficient lapse rates, so confidence has increased for a strongly forced convective line capable of producing strong to damaging wind gusts Sunday night. This severe threat will zip across the area in quick fashion, and strong pressure falls and rises either side of the front in association with this dynamic system will result in a strong gradient wind threat as well. Confidence has now increased enough to message for all of these hazards in the HWO graphics.

The freeze threat continues to increase for early next week as winter makes a brief return. Lows will likely fall below freezing Monday night/Tuesday morning, and they could be well below freezing over north central/northeast portions of the area (<28 F). This is especially notable given the recent record warmth, so plants will be vulnerable. Impacts to unprotected sensitive vegetation are likely, and so have gone ahead with graphical HWO messaging for this threat. It appears the primary freeze concerns will be for Mon night, but some frost/freeze threats can't be ruled out for Tue night as well. Thereafter, a warming trend is expected for the remainder of the week as mid/upper level heights build over our region. /SAS/EC/

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1219 PM CDT Thu Mar 12 2026

VFR flight categories will prevail at area TAF sites over the next 24 hours. Gusty northerly winds will steadily subside through the course of the afternoon, becoming light to calm tonight. Winds will become more southerly between 5-10 knots Friday morning. /19/

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Jackson 38 70 46 76 / 0 0 0 0 Meridian 38 71 44 76 / 0 0 0 0 Vicksburg 38 70 47 76 / 0 0 0 0 Hattiesburg 40 74 46 79 / 0 0 0 0 Natchez 40 72 46 76 / 0 0 0 0 Greenville 40 67 46 73 / 0 0 0 0 Greenwood 41 70 46 76 / 0 0 0 0

JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MS...None. LA...None. AR...None.