Scattered Severe Thunderstorms Today and Tonight

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) — Severe thunderstorms will be rolling across our entire area today, with a slight risk in the western portions of Lafayette, Yalobusha, Grenada, and Carroll counties, and a marginal risk in effect for the rest of our area.

WEDNESDAY: It’s not going to be a complete washout during the daytime hours, as those showers will remain relatively scattered in nature while the sun is up. Skies will be partly sunny today, with a high temperature of 94°. However, with all the moisture in the environment, it is likely going to feel a good bit warmer than that, with the heat index peaking around 102° this afternoon. A 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms will persist for the entire day, and ramp up toward the evening hours. Winds are out of the west-northwest at 5 mph.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: The chance for severe thunderstorms increases to 60% overnight, and showers remain likely all night long up until sunrise. While these storms will start out scattered, it is possible that they may cluster and cause more widespread impacts in the early morning hours. Skies will be mostly cloudy, and the low temperature will be 72°.

OVERALL SEVERE RISK: The primary threat from this severe weather system is for wind damage, as a result of downbursts that may occur with the moist, unstable environment aided by wind shear. Flash flooding may also pose a concern in some areas due to locally heavy rainfall. Anywhere from a quarter of an inch to an inch of rain may fall across our area today.

THURSDAY: A chance of showers and thunderstorms does persist into tomorrow, though that threat is much more slight than today’s. Conditions will start out cloudy, with some lingering showers from the overnight hours, but gradually become mostly sunny by early afternoon. The high temperature will be 92°, with heat indices getting up to around 101°. Winds will be out of the southwest at 5 mph. The threat for thunderstorms does return after the end of the workday, and some scattered storms could move across our area through the evening and overnight hours of tomorrow.

Please stay weather aware through this severe storm threat! Be sure to tune in to channel 4 for the latest First Alert weather updates, or you can watch the live stream here.