Hot start to the last week of September

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) – Temperatures start out the week well above average before falling toward mid to late week. Rain chances should also increase as well.

MONDAY: The first full day of fall will bring the heat! Expect high temperatures by afternoon to reach the low 90s – similar to previous days. There could be a rogue shower or two as well, but most places should stay dry.

MONDAY NIGHT: The sky stays partly cloudy with lows in the upper 60s to low 70s – feeling fairly humid!

TUESDAY: With the approach of a front, scattered showers and storms are likely to form toward midday into the afternoon hours. Enough heat and humidity along with some increased wind shear could allow a few storms to reach strong to potentially severe limits with hail & gusty winds the primary threats. Any storms should weaken closer to sunset.

REST OF WEEK: All eyes will be on the Gulf and what happens with “Invest 97-L.” Most models have a relatively strong system hitting some part of the Florida Gulf Coast Thursday into Friday, and wherever the system goes inland will have big impacts on the local forecast. Regardless, Tuesday’s upper-air disturbance looks to “cut off” and bring continued rain chances to north MS and west AL Wed/Thu. There could be some tropical enhancement to our local rainfall as well – stay tuned!