textproduct: Jackson

KEY MESSAGES

- Hot temperatures will continue the remainder of the week, but lower humidity should help to reduce heat stress, with dangerous levels of heat stress confined to along and northwest of the Natchez Trace.

- Dangerous levels of heat stress will build back in areawide this weekend through early next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 150 PM CDT Thu Sep 17 2026

Through Friday: Continued hot and humid along with dry weather. Latest satellite imagery/RAP analysis showed the circulation around a large and anomalously stout mid level high centered over southeast Arkansas. This large high will shift a little farther west through Friday. Latest surface analysis had a >1022mb centered over the southern Appalachians that will continue to ridge back across our CWA through Friday. Together these features will maintain the well above normal temperatures and dry weather across our CWA. Although near record high temperatures are possible at Greenville and Greenwood again Friday, drier air from the east will continue to lower humidity and therefore help mitigate heat stress concerns. Peak heat index values Friday will approach 105F over the western and northern portions of the CWA with lower heat index values elsewhere. /22/

Hot and dry will be the story through pretty much the entire rest of the period as the ridge remains dominant. This will tend to suppress convection while maintaining hot conditions. Multiple days of a record breaking highs (99+) are likely, especially north of I-20 into the Delta. Heat looks to peak on Saturday when the 850 thermal axis is maximized. A limited graphic will continue to be advertised through early next week. Despite highs in the upper 90s and low 100s, mid 60s dewpoints will limit heat indices to around 100-105. It is near heat advisory threshold however, so it is possible an elevated may be introduced should the need arise.

A low pressure off the coast of Florida will be steered towards the NE Gulf and that will help to weaken the ridge for a few days mid next week. Rain is likely to remain scarce, but this weakness does introduce low rain chances by the middle of next week east of I-55. We will also see decreased heat during this time. Thereafter, the ridge restrengthens and heights increase once again across the region mid to late next week. /SAS/

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1254 PM CDT Thu Sep 17 2026

VFR conditions wl prevail through the TAF period. /22/

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Jackson 68 97 71 98 / 0 0 0 0 Meridian 68 97 71 100 / 0 0 0 0 Vicksburg 69 96 71 98 / 0 0 0 0 Hattiesburg 67 95 70 98 / 0 0 0 0 Natchez 68 96 70 98 / 0 0 0 0 Greenville 73 100 73 100 / 0 0 0 0 Greenwood 70 99 72 100 / 0 0 0 0

JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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