Storms & cool front could drop temperatures by 20 degrees across South MS, forecasters say
Another round of thunderstorms could roll across the Mississippi Coast on Sunday with strong winds forecast to drop this week’s springtime temperatures by more than 20 degrees.
Forecasters say the storms will arrive early Sunday and pass by 1 p.m., leaving temperatures closer to 60 degrees.
“There will be a pretty significant drop,” said Christopher Bannan, a forecaster at the National Weather Service in Slidell.
Highs this week have soared close to 80. But storms rumbling in from the west could dump up to 2 inches of rain and blow gusts up to 35 mph on Sunday. Forecasters are still studying models to understand if the storms will burst through quickly or slog across the Coast and drop more downpours.
The worst of the system appears headed to north Louisiana, Arkansas, southwest Mississippi and the Delta. Bannan said forecasters “can’t rule out” a tornado or isolated hail on the Coast.
Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties are also under a coastal flood advisory until 4 p.m. Saturday, and forecasters are watching the tides closely. Bannan said high winds this week have helped raise tides 1.5 feet above normal. But most of the weekend rain is expected to fall after high tide. That could help rainfall drain more quickly.
Cool air behind the storms means Monday morning lows could drop into mid-50s or lower, Bannan said. It could get even cooler near Pascagoula. Highs Monday and Tuesday will reach the low 70s. The high Wednesday is forecast in the 60s.
Mississippi is nearing the worst of its spring severe storm season, which lasts from March to May. Clashing warm and cold temperatures this time of year create thunderstorms and tornadoes. A brief tornado and ten inches of rain hit last weekend in Jackson County, damaging a few mobile homes and sending rescuers scrambling by boat to save two people swept off a four-wheeler. At least 40 tornadoes have already hit Mississippi this year, according to the National Weather Service in Jackson.
This story was originally published April 3, 2025 at 11:18 AM.