textproduct: Jackson

KEY MESSAGES

- A slow moving cold front will bring scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms to the area the remainder of tonight. - Seasonable warmth will persist for most of the forecast.

MESOSCALE UPDATE

Issued at 936 PM CST Thu Feb 26 2026

Local radars showed a broken band of storms along and to the north of Highway 82. This activity was just south of a very slow moving cold front. Latest satellite imagery/RAP analysis showed a potent shortwave trough dropping to the southeast over Arkansas that will swing east southeast through the remainder of tonight and help push the cold front southeast through our CWA. There remains low potential for small hail with the strongest storms but the severe potential has ended for tonight. Although cooler and drier air will move into the northern portions of our CWA in the wake of the cold front, temperatures will be above normal through morning areawide. /22/

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1238 PM CST Thu Feb 26 2026

This afternoon through Friday night: Most impacts for this forecast will occur in the near term as a weak east-west oriented cold front pushes south through the area and interacts with an unstable and deeply sheared environment to bring a threat for a few severe storms capable of producing hail up to golf ball size. Hail appears to be the primary concern, but there will be some damaging wind potential given the combination of steep lapse rates and strong deep layer shear. As previously discussed, rainfall will be mostly helpful given the recent dry weather and flash flooding is not expected to be a concern. Following the front, much drier air will move in with mild surface temperatures continuing as the polar stream is confined to areas well north of our region. /EC/

Saturday through Wednesday: Seasonably warm and mainly dry conditions will prevail as shortwave upper ridging builds across the Southeastern states this weekend into early next week. More active weather will be focused north of our area from the Central Plains through the Midwest through much of next week, but periodic isolated shower activity can't be ruled out, mainly over the northern half of the area. At this time, there are no indications of hazardous weather threats through this portion of the forecast period. /DL/

AVIATION

(06Z TAFS) Issued at 1123 PM CST Thu Feb 26 2026

Scattered SHRA and TS are ongoing ahead of a cold front that will push across the area overnight. Most sites are currently experiencing VFR conditions, but an MVFR to IFR stratus deck is expected to develop overnight, clearing with or shortly behind the passage of the cold front. There is also some potential for brief FG until the front passes. Winds will shift from mainly southerly to northerly behind the front. Behind the front, VFR conditions are anticipated through the remainder of the TAF period. /DL/

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Jackson 57 73 47 76 / 80 10 0 0 Meridian 55 73 46 74 / 90 10 0 0 Vicksburg 55 75 48 78 / 60 10 0 0 Hattiesburg 61 77 52 78 / 80 40 0 0 Natchez 59 76 50 78 / 50 10 0 0 Greenville 50 72 46 76 / 40 0 0 0 Greenwood 52 73 46 77 / 60 0 0 0

JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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