The Corinth freeze forecast has firmed up: the National Weather Service in Memphis expects widespread frost late Thursday night and the coldest air of the season so far this weekend, with lows around 28 degrees on both Saturday and Sunday mornings across Alcorn, Tishomingo and Prentiss counties.
A dry cold front moved through Northeast Mississippi on Thursday afternoon, and forecasters said cool, dry air is settling in behind it. No freeze warning or frost advisory was in effect for the three counties as of early Thursday evening, but the weather service’s forecast discussion says an areawide freeze with heavy frost is expected Saturday morning.
Corinth freeze forecast, night by night
The weather service’s Thursday afternoon forecast for Corinth lists these temperatures:
Thursday night: Mostly clear with widespread frost after 1 a.m. Low around 31.
Friday: Sunny, with frost before 8 a.m. High near 51 and a north-northwest wind of 5 to 15 mph.
Friday night: Mostly clear. Low around 28.
Saturday: Sunny. High near 53.
Saturday night: Partly cloudy. Low around 28.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. High near 56, with a low around 32 Sunday night.
Booneville, Iuka and the surrounding towns should see similar readings. Sheltered valleys and low-lying rural areas often run a few degrees colder than the official forecast on clear, calm nights.
How likely is a hard freeze?
A hard freeze, which the weather service defines as temperatures below 28 degrees, is less certain here than it is to the north. A graphic the Memphis office issued Thursday afternoon puts the chance of Corinth dropping below 28 at about 18% on Saturday morning and 15% on Sunday morning. The odds are higher in West Tennessee, at 61% for Bolivar and 36% for Savannah on Saturday morning.
Even without a hard freeze, the forecast says frost is likely across the whole area. Forecasters advise residents to cover sensitive plants and bring pets indoors.
What to do before the cold arrives
Bring in or cover tender plants and any potted plants left outside.
Give outdoor pets and livestock shelter, dry bedding and unfrozen water.
Disconnect garden hoses and cover outdoor faucets.
Keep space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn, and never leave them running unattended.
Allow extra time Friday and Saturday mornings to clear frost from windshields.
Dry stretch continues, drought may worsen
No rain is in the forecast. The weather service said dry conditions are expected over the next seven days, which is likely to worsen the ongoing drought. A weather system passing on Sunday is not expected to bring any meaningful rain to the area.
Afternoon highs will stay in the low to mid 50s through the weekend. Corinth’s forecast then warms to 57 on Monday, 61 on Tuesday and 64 on Wednesday, with overnight lows staying near freezing early in the week.
Forecasters said elevated winds through Friday are not expected to create fire weather concerns, because humidity should stay above 30 percent.
Jon R Myers is the executive editor of Alcorn County News and the founder of the Mississippi News Group, which he started in 2013 to cover communities across North Mississippi. He also founded the Mississippi Sports Group in 2006, which grew from a single community publication into a statewide network covering high school and college athletics. He reports on local government, public safety, schools and community life in Corinth and Alcorn County, working from public meetings, agency records and interviews with the people involved. Contact him at editor@alcornnewsms.com with news tips or corrections. For a correction, include the article link and supporting source material.
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