Wednesday forecast calls for record high for Brookhaven
Published 3:40 pm Tuesday, August 22, 2023
BROOKHAVEN — A high temperature record could be set Wednesday and Thursday. At the same time, Tropical Storm Harold is making landfall in Texas but is not expected to bring any rain to the area forecast according to the National Weather Service.
Wednesday temperatures could hit 104 degrees which would break a record set in 1924 of 103 degrees. Tuesday’s high reportedly hit 103 degrees which tied a record set in 2000. The low for Wednesday is forecast to drop down to 76 degrees which would be a degree shy of the warmest low ever recorded on Aug. 23, 1970 of 77 degrees.
Thursday is forecast to hit 105 degrees which is two degrees warmer than the current record of 103 degrees set Aug. 24, 1924. There is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms starting Thursday until Tuesday but the chances are 30 percent to 20 percent. Tropical Storm Harold looks like it will not encourage any greater chances for rain according to the NWS office in Jackson.
Mississippi is hot dry and it has only increased the danger for fire. A burn ban is currently in effect for Lincoln County and 40 other counties in Mississippi. NWS Jackson has issued a red flag warning discouraging burning of any kind due to the dry conditions and gusty winds which could cause a fire to spread quickly.
Historically, this heat streak has yet to crack the top 10 in several categories. NWS Jackson records show our current consecutive days of 90 degree or greater temperatures is at 42. The record for consecutive days of 90 degrees and greater is 69 days set in 1951 and 1921 with the last day falling in September.
NWS Jackson reports the consecutive days of 100 degrees or greater is at four right now. Records show the longest streak was set at 12 consecutive days of 100 degree or more temperatures in 1902.
Our current dry streak of 22 days is short of the top 10. The record for driest streak was 73 days which ended on Dec. 4, 1924 and the 10th longest streak was 32 days set in 1930, 1924 and 1906.
NWS Jackson also reports the average summer temperature to date is 84.1 degrees which would land fifth all time for average summer temperatures. The hottest summer average temperature, June, July and August, was 84.5 set in 1952.
It is likely the consecutive days of 100 degrees or more will end Monday when the temperature is forecast to be 98.