Heat, fire, wind threaten Southwest Mississippi
Published 9:55 am Monday, August 28, 2023
BROOKHAVEN — Lincoln County and the rest of Southwest Mississippi is under a heat advisory today, are still at the risk of wildfires and in the cross hairs of potential severe storms. Monday’s weather will be manic.
The National Weather Service in Jackson warns temperatures could get up to 95 degrees Monday with heat indices around 106 which could lead to heat exhaustion. Lincoln County is not under the purple “extreme” heat risk by the NWS Jackson for the first time in about two weeks. A heat advisory is still in effect until 8 p.m.
Forecasted rain could drop the temperatures going into Tuesday and even more on Wednesday. A 70 percent chance of rain is forecast Monday. Rainfall could be as little as a tenth of an inch but higher amounts are expected in thunderstorms.
Showers and thunderstorms are also likely Tuesday with a 60 percent chance of rain. Patchy fog will be in the area until 8 a.m. and the high is forecast to reach 90 degrees. Sounds like sweater weather.
Tuesday night’s chance of rain will drop down to 30 percent.
Despite the rain, Brookhaven-Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency warns people to still heed the local burn ban for Lincoln County. Conditions are still dry and pose a wildfire risk. Western Louisiana is seeing the effects of massive wildfires and the same risk is starting to grow in Mississippi.
NWS Jackson warns the weather conditions with dry and windy days could increase the risk of wildfires spreading quickly. Open burning is still discouraged in Lincoln County and Southwest Mississippi. In total, 42 counties are under burn bans according to the Mississippi Forestry Commission.
Severe storms pose a marginal risk to the region Monday afternoon. Strong winds with high gusts of 60 mph could accompany the storms between noon and 9 p.m.
Check back for information before, during and after severe weather hits Lincoln County. If you take pictures or video of storm damage, strong winds, hail, lighting displays, wildfire or any other weather oddities locally email them to news@dailyleader.com.