12/28 – Rob’s Final “Friday-Eve of 2017” Forecast

Lingering light showers will begin the day off but look for these showers to come to an end as the support pulls out of the area. Thursday night and into Saturday northwest flow aloft should help keep the region rain free. Temperatures will begin to moderate Friday and continue into Saturday as westerly winds in the low-levels bring in warmer temps. Moisture will also start to slowly increase however any rain will likely hold off/remain to our west until late in the day Saturday or more so Saturday night.

The forecast is still highly uncertain in the extended portion of the forecast. The one thing that does look for certain is that we should see the coldest airmass of the season so far and it could be some of the coldest temperatures we have seen possibly in 3-4 years.

As has been advertised Arctic air will already be surging down the plains and MS Valley Sunday and should quickly enter the Lower MS Valley region Sunday afternoon. Ahead of this a weak surface wave along with possibly a weak impulse coming out of Mexico should squeeze out some showers Sunday and into Sunday evening. Temps just above the surface will still be quite warm so all precip will be liquid but as the temp drops along the surface we may start to see some very light freezing rain in southwest MS and adjacent LA parishes. Again this is will be a very short duration and quite light so will show no accumulation.

As we begin the New Year we will start it on a very cold note. Temps will struggle to get out of the 30s and may even struggle to reach the mid 30s across northwest portions of the region. This will set the stage for what should be the coldest night so far on Monday night. This Arctic airmass will be sitting right over the heart of the CONUS Monday and then continue to slide south in the southern plains Monday night. I have morning lows in the low to mid 20 along the viewing area with the teens north of the southern 6. Anticipate a HARD FREEZE WARNING for Monday/Tuesday nights.