A dandy rain event is unfolding over Mississippi. Widespread heavy rain continues at the hour over much of the state. Lots of lightning.
A strengthening low pressure center is near Greenwood, MS. The pressure is down to 1001 mb. The low has its own little warm front that extends over into western Alabama. Winds gusted to 63 mph at Greenwood at 8:31 p.m.
An expanding warm sector is over East Central and Southeast Mississippi.
Thunderstorms are intense over South Central and South Mississippi. A tornado warning is in effect for coutnies south of Jackson. A new tornado warning has just been issued for Madison, Rankin and Scott Counties until 9:30 p.m. A possible tornado was near Madison north of Jackson.
The NWS Jackson says the storms are intensifying over Mississippi.
No severe weather reports in the past hour.
A tornado watch continues for Mississippi until 11 p.m. Lots of debate about whether the watch will be extended into Alabama as a tornado watch or severe thunderstorm watch. I have to believe with the wind fields, it will continue to be a tornado watch.
I worry that this activity will eventually affect Southwest and South Central Alabama overnight. Wind fields are very strong, with an 850 mb jet of 50-60 knots in place. This has been transporting more unstable air all the way into Northwest Alabama tonight, where thunderstorms have been occurring.
We will have to monitor the situation up into West Central, Southwest and South Central Alabama overnight for more dangerous storms with the possibility of a couple of tornadoes. Further north, damaging winds will be a possibility, with the strong wind fields in any good updrafts that develop.
Flash flood warnings continue over Mississippi southwest of Jackson and over North Mississippi. The system is becoming quite the rain producer. Something we really could use. I thnk that aspect of it will hold together as the low tracks northeast and the wind fields remain strong.
Stay close to a reliable source of weather information through the night.
