textproduct: Jackson

KEY MESSAGES

- Dangerous heat stress conditions are expected across at least portions of the forecast area through Friday.

- Isolated to scattered severe storms capable of damaging wind gusts are possible across portions of the area today and Friday.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 252 PM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

Through Friday: A frontal boundary will sag slowly southward toward the coast and help to focus scattered diurnally driven storms for the remainder of the afternoon and into the early evening, especially over northern portions of the area. Given how hot and unstable the boundary layer conditions are, steep low level lapse rates will support damaging microburst winds, and have continued to message for a slight/marginal severe weather risk this afternoon/evening. This threat will shift into southern portions of the area Friday. Of course the dangerous heat threat continues as well and have issued additional heat warning/advisories accordingly. The heat will gradually become more focused over southwest portions of the area, and have adjusted our messaging to reflect this.

Weekend through early to mid next week: Global model guidance indicate that a northwest flow pattern will evolve and persist through the remainder of the forecast. A NW-SE oriented thermal gradient will support the greatest heat stress over southwest portions of the forecast area, but this doesn't appear it will be more than a limited to potentially elevated dangerous heat situation. This pattern would support an occasional MCS threat, but timing details are very uncertain, and overall rain chances are not great in the mean. Unfortunately for those needing rainfall, there are no strong signals for it at this point aside from a gradual uptick in rain chances as we go later into next week. /EC/

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1242 PM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

VFR flight conditions will prevail through the period. Another chance for scattered TSRA this afternoon through the evening with gusty winds and reduced flight conditions at affected site. /SW/

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Jackson 74 99 72 98 / 30 20 10 0 Meridian 73 97 72 98 / 20 30 10 0 Vicksburg 75 99 72 99 / 20 10 10 10 Hattiesburg 74 98 73 98 / 30 30 30 0 Natchez 75 101 73 100 / 10 20 20 0 Greenville 74 99 72 99 / 50 10 0 10 Greenwood 73 97 70 98 / 30 10 0 0

JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MS...Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for MSZ018-019-025>066- 072>074.

Heat Advisory from 11 AM to 8 PM CDT Friday for MSZ018-019- 025>039-044>046-050>052-056>058-065-066-073-074.

Extreme Heat Warning from 11 AM to 8 PM CDT Friday for MSZ040>043-047>049-053>055-059>064-072.

LA...Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for LAZ007>009-015-016- 023>026.

Extreme Heat Warning from 11 AM to 8 PM CDT Friday for LAZ007>009-015-016-023>026.

AR...Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for ARZ074-075.

Heat Advisory from 11 AM to 8 PM CDT Friday for ARZ074-075.