Update: Early March brings coldest temps of winter season, snow to parts of Mississippi
Unusually cold temperatures and snow showers will greet Mississippians as the unofficial start of spring begins.
While the official start of spring is still a few weeks away on March 20, the start of the month, marks the beginning of spring for meteorological record-keeping purposes, otherwise known as meteorological spring. This period encompasses the entire months of March, April and May.
But it will not feel like spring over the next few days as temperatures are expected to average some 15 to more than 20 degrees below normals for this time of year with even the chance of scattered snow showers across the state.
A deep trough has developed over the eastern United States as a part of a major weather pattern change from the warm and stormy pattern over the last several weeks. This will allow for shots of very cold air to surge well south out of Canada across the region.
This will combine with an upper level low pressure area that will move across northern Mississippi, leading to scattered snow showers across parts of state from Friday night through early Saturday.
"Light snow showers will be possible late tonight through the day Saturday as a chilly upper level disturbance pushes across the region. Surface temperatures will likely be above freezing for much of this time and precipitation will be light," the NWS said.
"A light dusting on grassy and elevated surfaces will be possible along the Highway 82 corridor east of Indianola Saturday morning," the NWS added.
High temperatures are only expected to max out in the upper 30s north to mid 40s central with upper 40s south Friday afternoon with overnight temperatures dropping off into the upper 20s and low 30s statewide by early Saturday.
Saturday will be the coldest day overall over the next few days with highs statewide only in the 30s to low to mid 40s with overnight lows by early Sunday dropping off into the 20s statewide.
Normal high temperatures this time of year are in the 60s with lows in the 40s statewide.
Jackson's forecast high temperature on Saturday will only reach around 42 degrees with an overnight low of around 26 degrees with the chance of a snow shower or snow flurries.
A gradual warming trend is set to begin on Sunday as temperatures return to the 40s and low 50s statewide, although, overnight lows will remain cold in the low 30s.
While no travel problems are anticipated right now with the snow showers, everyone should stay updated on the latest weather information as it becomes available.
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