Severe weather on the horizon

By Brian Livingston / staff writer

May 07, 2008 11:58 pm

— The potential for severe weather begins today and goes for the next several days due to a strong weather system that is expected to pass through the area.
Meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Jackson said the potential for severe weather is going to be present but that the lack of moisture and upper level instability is still hard to gauge at this time.
The Delta region of the state should see the first signs of severe weather as the front moves from Southeast Arkansas and Northeast Louisiana early this morning. A band of strong storms is expected to move into this region from the west, and assuming enough instability is in place, may continue to pose a threat of damaging winds, hail and a tornado.
After this band of storms moves through the state, the actual cold front will move into the region from the west later today. Assuming there is enough sunshine to help boost the unstable nature of the airmass across the area, more storms may develop ahead of this front as it moves toward Eastern Mississippi. If this happens, a few severe storms will be possible generally east of Interstate 55, with the risk increasing closer to the Alabama border. Damaging winds, a few tornadoes, and some hail will be the risks with these storms, with the greatest risk of severe weather between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Tonight may see a lull, but the front that will be responsible for the weather the next 24 hours will never completely push through the area, and by Friday into Saturday it will be meandering around the region as a stationary front.
"Our expectation right now is that any storm activity along this front will be isolated, but any storms that do develop would likely be severe with large hail and possibly damaging winds," said a National Weather Service meteorologist. "A stronger system will approach the area late Saturday into Sunday, bringing a more organized risk for severe weather during that time period."