Update: Severe thunderstorm and flood watches issued for Mississippi
More severe storms could hit parts of Mississippi as many residents continue to recover from devastating hail storms on Monday.
The Storm Prediction Center and the National Weather Service are monitoring southwest and west-central Mississippi for the possibility of severe storms by late Friday afternoon and evening with that threat expanding to include much of central and southern Mississippi on Saturday.
Severe storms will become possible as a warm front lifts northward into central Mississippi late Friday afternoon and evening, ushering in a much warmer and moisture-latent airmass. This increasingly warm and moist airmass will then clash with an approaching cold front on Saturday, leading to a more significant and widespread severe storm threat.
Severe storms will be capable of producing large hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes, mainly along and south of Interstate 20.
"Severe storms will be possible late this afternoon and evening, especially for western Mississippi where instability will be greatest. These storms will be capable of producing hail up to half-dollar size and damaging winds up to 60 mph. Locally heavy rainfall of one to two inches will also be possible," the NWS said.
"Severe storms will again be possible Saturday afternoon and evening. The most intense storms are expected to be capable of damaging wind gusts and large hail. A couple of tornadoes cannot be ruled out, especially along the Highway 84 corridor. Localized very heavy rainfall will be possible as storms may produce rainfall rates of two to three inches in a couple of hours," the NWS added.
Monday's severe storms produced widespread large hail storms and destructive winds across parts of the state with the Jackson metro area suffering the most significant damage. NWS confirmed the third largest hail stone on record in the state fell during the storms.
The state is in the midst of its primary severe weather season, which extends from March through early May. This period historically produces the most tornadoes each year in the state with April being the peak month.
Everyone should stay updated on the latest weather information as it becomes available.
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