Siberian cold front heading our way
COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI)- If there are any last minute Christmas shoppers, hopefully you got it done before this front moves in. Mild temperatures on Thursday will be ahead of the arctic cold air. Then we are in for a very cold ride into Christmas weekend.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: It has been a fairly mild day. Temperatures just barely reached 50 degrees this afternoon. Cloud coverage has stayed partly cloudy for most of the afternoon. As the evening and overnight hours roll in, clouds will become slightly increased in quantity. The temperatures for tonight will fall only into the low to middle 40s.
THURSDAY: The day we have been talking about for over a week! The Siberian cold air has been moving across the country since Wednesday afternoon, so it will take some time reaching the Deep South. That being said, high temperatures are going to be in the middle to upper 50s Thursday afternoon. From there, the front will pass and the temperatures will quickly drop. Possibly 20 degrees in a matter of an hour, after the passing. There are chances for wind gusts up to 35 mph, so the wind chill (or the “Feels Like” temperatures) is going to be lower. Across Mississippi, Wind Chill Advisories and Warnings, Hard Freeze Watches and Warnings, and Winter Weather Advisories have already been issued for this event. Along with the cold front, rain showers and mixed precipitation is expected. Some counties in northern Mississippi may even see some snow. If enough snow falls, the very cold temperatures will rapidly freeze the ground and cause traffic issues, like black ice overnight Thursday and into early Friday morning. This is most likely in the winter weather advisory area. The overnight low temperatures are going to be in the tens, potentially colder in the single digits.
FRIDAY: The front will continue moving off to the East overnight and in through Friday morning. There may even be a chance of some light flurries continuing Friday morning. The cloud coverage will move out along with the front, so (on a positive note) there will at least be sun. High temperatures are going to remain below freezing, only reaching the low to middle 20s. There are expected gusts continuing at 25+ mph. Wind chills are going to stay in dangerous levels. The overnight low temperatures will be in the tens again.
CHRISTMAS EVE: The temperatures are going to stay below freezing, reaching into the upper 20s. Sky conditions will remain clear and sunny. Overnight low temperatures make their way into the middle teens.
There are 4 days until Christmas!
