Drought is arriving in South Mississippi. When will it rain again?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Moderate drought grips South Mississippi with dry air and below-average rainfall.
- Weak cold front may bring rain midweek, with highest chances west of Gulfport.
- Meteorologists warn of elevated wildfire risk as dry October conditions persist.
South Mississippi is dry.
Warm, crisp air parked over the region has been drying crops and raising temperatures for several weeks. Jackson County and part of eastern Harrison County, including Biloxi and D’Iberville, are in a moderate drought. Barely any rain has fallen over Pascagoula in September.
“This month has been particularly dry,” said Phil Grigsby, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Slidell.
Some relief could arrive this week: Rain chances will increase Wednesday and Thursday as a weak cold front rolls through. The chance of rain on Thursday is between 70 and 80 percent, Grigsby said, and rain is most likely to fall west of Gulfport.
“It’s going to help out a little bit,” Grigsby said.
Drier fall expected
By Friday, as the weak cold front pushes offshore, rain chances will decrease.
Rainfall in Pascagoula this month is about 4 inches below normal, according to the National Weather Service. But the area is only about an inch below normal precipitation levels for the year because of a wetter spring. Hancock County and much of Harrison County are also abnormally dry, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The dry conditions arrived slightly early this year, but October is usually a dry month across the Mississippi Coast. The conditions can increase the risk of wildfires.
Grigsby cautioned residents who burn on their properties to pay close attention to flames and consider avoiding burning on windy days.
This story was originally published September 23, 2025 at 9:46 AM.