The first heat wave of summer is heading for South MS. How hot will it get?

The first heat wave of summer is forecast to bake South Mississippi this week with cloudless skies and thick humidity that could make the air feel close to 100 degrees.

Forecasters warned temperatures would climb through Sunday and said highs could reach above 90 degrees for the first time this year.

“We’re going to have a lot of strong sunshine,” Phil Grigsby, a forecaster at the National Weather Service in Slidell, said.

Forecasters said the heat may mark the end of pleasant spring weather across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi. There is no rain in the forecast, which means little relief, and the warmth is expected to endure through next week.

The forecast is not unusual. Average highs this time of year are about 84 degrees, and Grigsby said the first 90-degree day of the year usually comes in mid-May.

Breeze from the water could help the coastline escape the worst of the muggy heat. Grigsby said inland areas north of Interstate 10 would probably reach the lower 90s.

The forecast for the rest of May is hard to predict so far in advance. But Grigsby said there were “pretty decent probabilities” of above-normal temperatures. The National Weather Service encouraged residents to stay hydrated, check on neighbors and avoid spending too much time outside in the afternoon.

This story was originally published May 14, 2025 at 10:35 AM.