Summer is making one more stand in North Mississippi. After the remnants of Isaias cleared out Sunday, the National Weather Service in Memphis says Tippah County heat will build to the low 90s by midweek, which is 10 to 15 degrees above normal for mid-October and close to record territory.
In its Sunday morning forecast discussion, the Memphis office said dry conditions will return Sunday and last through Tuesday, with well above-normal temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s through at least Thursday.
Tippah County heat forecast for Ripley
The NWS point forecast for the Ripley area calls for plenty of sunshine and steadily climbing highs:
Sunday: Sunny, high near 85; low around 60 Sunday night
Monday (Columbus Day): Sunny, high near 89
Tuesday: Sunny, high near 91; low around 64
Wednesday: Sunny, high near 92
Thursday: Sunny, high near 91
Friday: Mostly sunny and cooler, high near 83, with a low around 50 Friday night
Forecasters noted that the record highs for Memphis are 92, 92, and 90 for Monday through Wednesday, and that the forecast highs would come close to or exceed those marks. They said a similar trend is showing up for Tupelo, Jackson, and Jonesboro. “Potential record breaking heat has found its way back to the Mid-South,” the discussion said.
Little rain, but a cooldown may follow
A weak disturbance could bring a brief chance of showers to northern parts of the Mid-South on Wednesday, but the weather service said confidence is low in meaningful rain for most of the area. The best chance, up to about half an inch, is north of the I-40 corridor in Tennessee.
Relief may arrive late in the week. Forecasters are watching a strong upper-level system that could bring a significant cooldown Friday into next weekend, though they said timing and strength are still uncertain. Either way, guidance is trending toward more seasonable temperatures by next weekend.
Burn ban and fire danger
The dry, hot stretch comes while Tippah County remains under a burn ban that county supervisors extended through Oct. 18, with a decision on any further extension expected at their Oct. 15 meeting. The NWS said winds should stay light enough to avoid major fire danger concerns in the area, but minimum humidity could dip below 40% on Monday.
Tips for the week ahead:
Do not burn outdoors while the ban is in place, and be careful with anything that throws sparks.
Drink plenty of water during outdoor work, fall festivals, and afternoon ball games.
Check on older neighbors and anyone without reliable air conditioning.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
