With a strong cold front east of the area, temperatures have plummeted and will not recover much through Saturday.

Today and Tonight: Friday will be wintry by local standards. Overcast skies may persist throughout the day as cold air continues to seep into the Gulf South. Temperatures will struggle to leave the low 40s. Winds will be stiff out of the north at 15-25mph. The cloud cover and wind combination will keep “feels-like” temperatures, or wind chills, in the 30s through the day. There may even be some lingering drizzle, with a flurry possible in Southern Mississippi. Overnight will feature clearing skies. It will be blustery and quite cold with lows a few degrees below freezing and wind chills in the low 20s.

Up Next: Much improved weather is anticipated for the weekend. Saturday Afternoon will bring ample sunshine and a high near 50 degrees. After another freeze Sunday Morning, the afternoon will remain clear with a high in the upper 50s.

THE SCIENCE: 

Forecast Discussion: With a cold front through the region, a strengthening surface low to the northeast and strong surface high dropping south from the Midwest, the region has taken on a wintry feel. A tight pressure gradient has resulted in brisk northerly winds of 15-20mph. Cold air advection is well underway and expected to continue through Saturday Night. Meanwhile, in the upper levels, a lagging thermal trough will maintain a cloud deck through much of the day. A few sprinkles will be possible as well, with even some flakes mixing in as far south as Southern Mississippi. Due to the clouds and wind, temperatures will struggle to climb through the mid 40s and wind chills will likely be in the 30s and then into the 20s overnight as skies open up and thermometers dip below freezing. By Saturday Morning, surface high pressure moving into the Upper Mississippi River Valley will help to clear the region out, but maintain the chill. Freezes appear likely north of I-10 on Saturday and Sunday Morning. As the high shifts east, southerly flow will allow Sunday Afternoon temperatures to return to average. A weaker storm system will return clouds showers by Monday Evening.

 --Josh

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