Windy evening then strong to severe storms likely tomorrow

COLUMBUS, Mississippi (WCBI) – SUMMARY: We reached the low-70s across the region today. Showers and thunderstorms arrive to the region tomorrow, with much colder temperatures on Friday.

TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy with lows in the low-60s. South wind 5-10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph.

THURSDAY: Showers and thunderstorms expected before 6pm. Some storms may be severe with damaging wind gusts, isolated tornadoes, and large hail. Highs in the mid-to-upper 70s. South wind 10-20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy with lows in the low-30s. Northwest wind 5-10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph.

EXTENDED FORECAST: A strong cold front will delivery the potential for severe weather across the region Thursday. The primary threat will be for damaging wind gusts and a few isolated tornadoes. Be sure to remain “weather aware” Thursday as these storms move through. Most of the storms should exit the region by the evening hours. Behind the front, much cooler temperatures will arrive for Friday with highs only reaching the upper-40s. Temperatures will return to the 60s the rest of the weekend with our next chance of rain arriving Monday.

SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY: First, a quick note about “watch vs. warning”. A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes in and around the watch area. It does not necessarily mean a tornado has been detected. If a Tornado Warning is issued for your area, however, that means that a tornado has been detected by radar or has been sighted. A Tornado Warning in your area means that it is necessary to take shelter immediately in a sturdy shelter. The best place to be during a tornado warning is a site built structure (not a mobile home or vehicle) and in an interior room. The key is to put as many walls between you and the outside as possible. 

If you are in a mobile home, you will want to have a plan of action that takes into account the time it will take to get to a sturdy tornado shelter or a 24 hour business. Do not wait until the last minute to know where you and your family will go in case of a tornado. Mobile homes, even modern ones, are simply not safe during a tornado and cannot be used as a form of shelter. 

Tornado Safety Items: Hard sole shoes, flashlights, and helmets are important to have quickly accessible in case of a tornado. You may only have a few minutes to act to move your family to safety and it is important to be ready for rapidly changing conditions. None of us want to be looking for a pair of shoes at 3am when a tornado may be very close to your home. It is also wise to keep your phones on chargers so that you are prepared in case of a power outage. You can access our severe weather coverage through Facebook or on this page. We will maintain coverage if any tornado warnings are issued. As a note, if there is a tornado warning within our coverage area, we will stay on air no matter how populated the location is! Every home and every viewer is important to us! Whether you are in northeast Mississippi or west central Alabama, we will have you covered.