Rainy weather Wednesday, heavy rain and falling temps Thursday

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) – Quite the dynamic forecast over the next two days. Expect rain, heavy at times, to continue Wednesday and Thursday followed by a dramatic drop in temperatures.

WEDNESDAY: Scattered, locally heavy rain this morning will continue through the entire day. Persistent showers and cloud cover will limit afternoon highs to the upper 50s to low 60s – a noticeable drop off from previous days.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Pockets of heavy rain will continue, but some will experience a break at times. Lows will only drop into the middle and upper 50s.

THURSDAY: A high impact weather day is expected. A strong front will push through the region, bringing in heavier rain and potentially a few thunderstorms in our southern counties (south of US 82). There’s a non-zero chance of a stronger storm there, but the potential of any severe weather occurring is low. What’s more pressing is the heavy rain potential – near record early February moisture will lead to potentially 1-3″ of additional rain falling. A flood watch has been issued for all of north and central Alabama, but low-lying flooding is possible in Mississippi as well.

THURSDAY EVENING: As colder air rushes in from the northwest, most of the precipitation will be exiting the region. However, a winter storm watch has been issued for Lafayette and Yalobusha counties. This is for the potential for freezing rain leading to light ice accumulations. Stay tuned for changes to the forecast.

FRIDAY: Expect cold and cloudy conditions as the entire storm moves away from the region. Highs will likely hold in the upper 30s much of the day.

WEEKEND: Another disturbance is expected to move through the Southeast but largely “miss” the WCBI coverage area. For now, chilly and variably cloudy weather is on tap for Saturday followed by increasing sunshine on Sunday.

NEXT WEEK: Seasonable early February weather will continue – highs will be in the low 50s with morning lows near or below freezing.