South MS temperatures become colder than Alaska, officials say
It’s been a frigid week in Mississippi and across much of the United States.
A severe winter storm brought freezing rain to the Mississippi Coast on Jan. 24, and the cold weather has yet to let up with temperatures plummeting lower than parts of Alaska overnight Jan. 28, according to the National Weather Service New Orleans.
“Just before 3 a.m. here on the Gulf Coast and just before midnight Alaska time, nearly all areas in southeast Louisiana and south Mississippi are colder (some by over 10 degrees Fahrenheit lower) than Alaska’s state Capital in Juneau,” the NWS said in a Dec. 29 post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The freezing weather is set to continue into the weekend, with temperatures dropping into the teens and single digits, NWS experts said in a Jan. 28 post on X.
Here’s how the recent cold weather in South Mississippi compares to other parts of the world.
South Mississippi is colder
Juneau, Alaska
The temperature along the Gulf Coast dropped to 35 degrees Fahrenheit overnight Jan. 28, dipping 4 degrees lower than the temperature in Juneau, Alaska, according to the NWS.
Going into the weekend, Juneau is expected to see lows of 33 degrees Fahrenheit while temperatures along the Mississippi Coast could drop to 21 degrees Fahrenheit, according to The Weather Channel.
Victoria, Canada
Winters in Victoria, Canada are the warmest in the region, and it’s definitely warmer there now than in South Mississippi. Lows in Victoria this weekend will reach 45 degrees Fahrenheit with highs in the low 50s, experts at TWC said.
Shanghai, China
Shanghai shares a similar climate to the Mississippi Coast, especially in the summer, according to experts at Weather Spark.
The lowest temperature forecasted in Shanghai for the weekend is 34 degrees Fahrenheit, about 13 degrees higher than the lows on the Coast, according to TWC.
South Mississippi is warmer
Hell, Michigan
Despite the freezing temperatures, South Mississippi is still warmer than Hell, Michigan that is. The town is expected to see the weather drop into the single digits, with a low of 1 degree Fahrenheit on Jan. 30 and 31, according to TWC.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York is set to reach temperatures in the single digits this weekend, with a low of 5 degrees Fahrenheit on Jan. 30, according to TWC. The Mississippi Coast is cold, but thankfully not quite that cold.
South Mississippi is about the same temperature
Elephant Island, Antarctica
It may surprise you to learn that the Mississippi Coast is as cold as Antarctica, but it’s true. This weekend, Elephant Island is expected to reach temperatures in the low twenties and highs in the 30s, similar to South Mississippi, according to TWC.
