Jackson and central Mississippi can expect numerous scattered afternoon rain and storms with a quarter-and-a-half inch or rain possible, according to the National Weather Service in Jackson.
The Pearl River at Jackson was at 34.5 feet at 5:15 a.m. Saturday and is projected to reach 36 feet on Tuesday, which is expected to flood some 600 homes in low lying areas of Jackson.
How high has the Pearl River crested before?
- (1) 43.28 ft on 04/17/1979
- (2) 39.58 ft on 05/25/1983
- (3) 36.67 ft on 02/17/2020
- (4) 36.30 ft on 03/31/1902
- (5) 36.30 ft on 12/05/1880
- (6) 36.07 ft on 12/07/1982
- (7) 36.04 ft on 12/21/1961
- (8) 36.00 ft on 04/25/1874
- (9) 35.74 ft on 04/03/1976
- (10) 35.70 ft on 01/27/1979
Data courtesy of National Weather Service’s Jackson, MS office
Officials urge preparedness, concerns over Ross Barnett Reservoir
Officials have said some roadways in low-lying areas are already flooded and have encouraged residents of affected areas to prepare their homes and evacuate immediately.
A main concern is rain in areas above the Ross Barnett Reservoir causing more water to flow into the reservoir from the Pearl River. Officials have said the reservoir is nearing maximum capacity and they are releasing water necessary to keep the reservoir level from breeching the levy.
During a Friday afternoon press conference, John Sigman, reservoir general manager, said his agency at Pearl River Water will do what it can but that nothing is certain.
“A whole lot of water has come into the reservoir and it has to go through,” Sigman said. “What comes in has to go out. We can retain very little water. But we are and will continue to hold as much as possible, and we will use all of the capacity in the lake that we have.”
See the National Weather Service Forecast for the Jackson area through Monday night:
Today
Isolated showers, then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 10am. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Heat index values as high as 100. Calm wind becoming south southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight
Isolated showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. South southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Sunday
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Heat index values as high as 100. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Monday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
