Petal, Mississippi 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

139
FXUS64 KJAN 241138
AFDJAN

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Jackson MS
538 AM CST Sat Jan 24 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...

  - A major ice storm is expected for much of northwest portions
    of the area through Sunday.

  - Freezing rain could bring significant impacts farther
    southeast later this weekend.

  - Significant to Extreme cold, including dangerously low
    temperatures and wind chill readings, are expected early next
    week following the winter weather.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 432 AM CST Sat Jan 24 2026

Through Friday: The well advertised ice storm is underway across our
northwest and overall there have been no adjustments to the threat
area or accumulations from yesterday evening`s update. Early
morning satellite imagery/RAP analysis showed the circulation around
a closed low spinning over the Baja peninsula that was sending a few
subtle shortwaves across the southern Plains and across our CWA.
This was leading to light rain development across our region. Early
morning surface analysis had a >1044mb high centered over the upper
Mississippi valley that was helping spread an arctic airmass into
northern Mississippi. This was already helping drop temperatures
below freezing along a line from Grenada, MS to Morehouse Parish,
Louisiana within our CWA. The sub-freezing temperatures will try to
surge south today while the rain expands in coverage and increases
in intensity. This will result in freezing rain mixing with sleet
across the northwest portions of our CWA with a cold rain across the
remainder of our CWA. Significant ice accumulations leading to
travel difficulties and power outages are likely today especially
across our delta region. Today will be the first of two rounds of
significant precipitation that will last through Sunday afternoon
before tapering off Sunday evening.

The second more significant round of precipitation is expected
Saturday night and continuing into Sunday afternoon. The second more
prominent wave will have stronger frontogenesis and colder air
rushing in Sunday morning, and this will lead to significant wintry
precip setting up roughly along the Natchez Trace corridor.
There should end up being a greater sleet component to this round
given the deeper cold advection.

We expect the bulk of precip type to be freezing rain, and ice
accumulation being most significant in the ArkLaMiss "Delta" region
where both rounds of precip will be significant. In that area, WSSI
extreme/major level impacts continue to exist. Farther southeast,
there are high probs along the Natchez Trace corridor for WSSI
moderate level impacts, but significant ice accumulation could still
occur just southeast of that corridor depending on how quickly the
sub-freezing air can move in early Sunday morning, when cold
advection processes begin to dominate in the lower levels while lift
increases in the mid/upper levels with the approaching trough.

Although it will feel quite cold Saturday night into Sunday morning
across our northwest, after the wintry precipitation threat ends the
focus will be the dangerous cold temperatures expected Monday
through Wednesday mornings. The coldest morning lows of the week are
forecast Tuesday morning(single digits to lower teens) but Monday
morning will feel the coldest due to wind chill temperatures in the
single digits to subzero temperatures across the northwest. An
Extreme Cold Watch remains in effect that will likely be upgraded to
an Extreme Cold Warning today. Temperatures will not be as cold the
later half of the week but much colder than normal temperatures are
expected to continue. There is another low pressure system Friday
night into Saturday that we will be watching as it shows signs of
some wintry mix precipitation again Friday night. /EC/22/

&&

.AVIATION...
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 528 AM CST Sat Jan 24 2026

Gusty northeasterly 18-20kt winds will continue at western TAF
sites through the end of the TAF period. Elsewhere winds will
continue to be northeasterly before winds veer southeasterly by
06Z Sunday. An area of -SN/-FZRA will continue to overspread GLH
and GWO persisting through Saturday morning. -SHRA/-RA will start
to develop over central/southern sites by 16Z Saturday. Conditions
will gradually deteriorate to IFR/LIFR by 03Z Sunday, as precip
becomes more widespread and areas of BR develop at all sites. /KP/



&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Jackson       42  28  35  16 /  90 100 100  20
Meridian      46  36  50  17 /  80 100 100  20
Vicksburg     38  24  28  14 / 100 100 100  20
Hattiesburg   58  48  63  22 /  80 100 100  10
Natchez       45  26  33  16 /  90 100 100  20
Greenville    28  21  23  11 / 100 100 100  20
Greenwood     34  23  27  12 / 100 100 100  20

&&

.JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MS...Ice Storm Warning until 6 PM CST Sunday for MSZ018-019-025>029-
     034>036-040>042.

     Extreme Cold Watch from Sunday evening through Tuesday morning
     for MSZ018-019-025>066-072>074.

     Ice Storm Warning from noon today to 6 PM CST Sunday for MSZ047.

     Ice Storm Warning from 3 PM this afternoon to 6 PM CST Sunday
     for MSZ030>033-037-038-043-044-048-049-053-054-059>061.

     Winter Weather Advisory from midnight tonight to 6 PM CST Sunday
     for MSZ039-045-050-055-056-062.

LA...Ice Storm Warning until 6 PM CST Sunday for LAZ007>009-015.

     Extreme Cold Watch from Sunday evening through Tuesday morning
     for LAZ007>009-015-016-023>026.

     Ice Storm Warning from noon today to 6 PM CST Sunday for LAZ016-
     023>026.

AR...Ice Storm Warning until 6 PM CST Sunday for ARZ074-075.

     Extreme Cold Watch from Sunday evening through Tuesday morning
     for ARZ074-075.

&&

$$

EC/22/KP