Mississippi Weather Radar

Mississippi Live Weather

Mississippi Live Weather Radar

Click to toggle between the Mississippi cloud cover radar map and the Mississippi precipitation radar map.

Mississippi Hourly Weather Forecast

Mississippi 7-Day Weather Forecast

Mississippi Weather Overview

Mississippi stretches from the Tennessee border south to the Gulf of Mexico, covering nearly 47,000 square miles of humid-subtropical terrain. The state averages 55 inches of rain annually, and summers routinely push past 95°F. NWS WFO Jackson (JAN) operates the KDGX Doppler radar at Brandon, while WFO Memphis and WFO Mobile cover the northern and coastal corners. The Mississippi weather radar is a year-round essential — conditions can escalate from clear skies to a tornado warning within minutes. Residents from Jackson to Biloxi rely on the Mississippi weather radar every time a front approaches.

Tornadoes are the most immediate threat tracked on the Mississippi weather radar. Mississippi sits in Dixie Alley and ranks among the top five states for tornado frequency, averaging about 27 per year. Peak risk runs February through April. The Easter Sunday tornadoes of April 2020 produced a deadly EF4 that struck the Golden Triangle area. Hurricanes add equal danger on the Gulf Coast: Hurricane Katrina in 2005 struck near Waveland with a storm surge exceeding 28 feet, killing 238 Mississippians.

Flooding is the third hazard the Mississippi weather radar helps you track. Delta counties see the worst river flooding — in spring 2011, the Mississippi River at Vicksburg crested at 57.1 feet, over 14 feet above flood stage. Flash floods follow slow-moving thunderstorm clusters across inland areas. Severe thunderstorms with large hail are common from February through October. Checking the Mississippi weather radar before heading outdoors is the most reliable way to catch developing threats early.

Mississippi Weather Risks & Safety

Key weather hazards to monitor on the Mississippi weather radar

Tornado Risk

Tornadoes hit Mississippi hardest in spring and early summer, when warm Gulf air slams into cooler northern fronts. Supercell thunderstorms can spin up EF2+ tornadoes with very little lead time. On radar, rotation signatures inside storm cells give you a few critical minutes to reach shelter. Mississippi averages several tornado warnings per year — know where your safe room or interior closet is before you need it.

Hurricane & Tropical Storm Risk

Mississippi sits in the path of Atlantic and Gulf tropical systems. Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, peaking in August and September when warm sea surface temperatures fuel rapid intensification. On the radar, you can track the eye wall, rain bands, and embedded tornadoes as a storm approaches. If you live in Mississippi, keep your evacuation plan current and check the radar frequently once a tropical advisory is issued.

Flooding & Flash Flood Risk

Flash flooding is Mississippi's most persistent weather hazard. Slow-moving thunderstorms or tropical moisture can dump enough rain to overwhelm drainage systems within hours — especially in paved urban areas where water has nowhere to go. Check the radar to see where the heaviest rain is falling and which areas to avoid. The standing rule: turn around, don't drown. Never drive through flooded roads, even if they look shallow.

Severe Thunderstorm Risk

Severe thunderstorms roll through Mississippi regularly, especially spring through early fall. Expect damaging winds above 58 mph, large hail, and dangerous lightning. The radar shows you each storm cell's position, movement, and intensity — so you can tell if one is headed your way. When a thunderstorm warning drops for Mississippi, get indoors and away from windows until it passes.

How to Use Mississippi Weather Radar

Follow these steps to get the most from the Mississippi weather radar data.

Open the Mississippi Radar Map

Visit LocalWeatherRadar.org on any device and select Mississippi from the interactive map or use the search bar to navigate directly to the statewide radar view.

Select Your Radar Layer

Choose Base Reflectivity to see current precipitation intensity across all 82 counties, or switch to Velocity mode to detect storm rotation that may indicate tornado development.

Check NWS Warning Polygons

Look for colored warning polygons overlaid on the Mississippi weather radar — red indicates a Tornado Warning from NWS Jackson, orange is a Severe Thunderstorm Warning, and green marks a Flash Flood Warning.

Enable County-Level Alerts

Sign up for NWS text alerts at weather.gov or enable browser notifications to receive real-time watches and warnings for your specific Mississippi county before conditions deteriorate.

Who Benefits from Mississippi Weather Radar

How different people use the Mississippi radar data

Commuters & Drivers

Drivers on I-55 and I-20 check radar before crossing the Jackson metro or heading toward Vicksburg during storm season.

Outdoor Enthusiasts

Hunters and anglers at Sardis Lake and Gulf Islands National Seashore track radar to plan safe outings around fast-moving fronts.

Event Planners & Families

Organizers at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium and Gulf Coast Coliseum monitor radar before game time to make safe cancellation calls.

Outdoor Workers

Delta agricultural workers and statewide construction crews rely on the Mississippi weather radar to avoid lightning strikes and flash floods.

Mississippi Weather FAQ

Common questions about Mississippi weather patterns and radar

What does the Mississippi weather radar show right now?

The live Mississippi weather radar displays precipitation intensity, storm motion, and NWS severe weather alerts statewide. Powered by the KDGX Doppler radar at Brandon and KGWX at Columbus Air Force Base, the map updates every few minutes. You can track rain, hail, and potential tornado signatures across all 82 counties — from the Delta in the northwest to the Gulf Coast in the south.

How often do tornadoes strike Mississippi?

Mississippi is one of the top five states for tornado activity, averaging roughly 27 tornadoes per year. Risk is highest from February through April and returns in November. The state sits in Dixie Alley, where warm Gulf air collides with cold fronts. The April 2020 Easter Sunday EF4 tornado struck the Golden Triangle region, causing catastrophic damage across Oktibbeha and Lowndes counties.

When does hurricane season affect Mississippi?

The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, peaking in August and September. Mississippi's Gulf Coast is most vulnerable — Hurricane Katrina in 2005 struck near Waveland with a storm surge exceeding 28 feet, killing 238 Mississippians. Even inland areas from Gulfport to Hattiesburg face serious flooding. Monitor the Mississippi weather radar closely during any tropical storm watch or warning.

How does Mississippi weather radar compare to AccuWeather or Weather.com?

National services like AccuWeather and Weather.com display radar data that is typically 5 to 10 minutes delayed and heavily smoothed. The Mississippi weather radar on LocalWeatherRadar.org pulls directly from NWS data feeds, giving faster and higher-resolution imagery from the KDGX and KGWX Doppler stations without a paywall. For tornado warnings or flash flood events, raw NWS data is the more reliable choice.

Which parts of Mississippi flood most often?

The Mississippi River Delta and floodplain counties along the western border — including Bolivar, Warren, and Issaquena — face the highest river flooding risk. In spring 2011, the Mississippi River at Vicksburg crested at 57.1 feet, over 14 feet above the 43-foot flood stage, forcing widespread evacuations. Flash flooding is also common across southern Mississippi after tropical systems. The weather radar for Mississippi shows rainfall accumulation layers to help identify flood risk zones.

Does Mississippi get ice storms or winter weather?

Ice storms are rare in Mississippi but do occur, usually between December and February in the central and northern parts of the state. Jackson, Tupelo, and Columbus are most at risk. A notable ice storm in February 1994 caused widespread damage across central Mississippi. However, the state's primary weather threats year-round are tornadoes, hurricanes, and flooding rather than winter ice events.