JACKSON, Miss.–Tornadoes, hail, wind, lightening and heavy rain are all possible Monday and Tuesday in Mississippi. It’s part of the same storm system that devastated Mayflower, Arkansas Sunday, killing 16 people.
News Mississippi Meteorologist Todd Adams said it’s because cooler and warmer air don’t mix well, and they are coming together right on top of the state.
“It’s like oil and water,” he said. “When a cold front marches through where the air is warm and humid, there is going to be a reaction, from just having puffy clouds form to the other extreme.”
There was a tornado watch in effect until noon for the northwest Delta. That’s where the first storms were expected to form. More watches are possible as the front comes closer, both Monday and Tuesday, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Mark McAllister.
“All modes of severe weather are possible,” he said. “Generally across the wester areas in the morning, then moving through the state later today. Then another round tonight and another round going through tomorrow before the front finally moves through Tuesday evening.
Some of the tornadoes could be strong and could stay on the ground for a long time, he said. For you that means they could be very dangerous.
Officials with the Miss. Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) were gearing up for the bad weather Sunday and were urging you to be prepared and have a plan in place in case of a tornado.
“Citizens go to bed, don’t have a way to get up when there’s an alert of severe weather and don’t know how to get up of severe weather. The idea is to have a communication plan, know how you’re going to get your alert,” said MEMA Director Robert Latham at a press conference Sunday.
That means stay tuned to News Mississippi and have a NOAA weather radio. You can get one for about $30 at Radio Shack, Wal-Mart or Walgreens.
That $30 investment could save your life.
Follow @news_ms and use the hash tag #newsmssevere to send us your photos or damage reports.
