Four nights of pipe-bursting cold, some below freezing for more than 24 consecutive hours

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - An arctic airmass will invade South Mississippi tonight into Friday morning bringing pipe-bursting cold and bitter cold wind chill values in the single digits to the coast. The blast of cold air will send temperatures plummeting into the teens and 20s for four consecutive nights. Precautions to protect people, pets, pipes and plants should be taken. Icy travel is not expected across South Mississippi.

Timing:

The cold front is expected to arrive late tonight into Friday morning ushering in cold, arctic air and strong northerly winds gusting over 30 mph at times. High temperatures on Friday may struggle to get above freezing for some north of I-10. It is possible some spots could be below freezing for 24-36 consecutive hours Friday morning into the first half of Saturday. This would be most likely for inland locations. Even though temperatures may get above freezing on Friday near the coast, it will be very brief. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are expected to start out in the teens and 20s with high temperatures in the 30s and 40s.

Any snow?

The chances for snow on the coast are very slim. There may be a better chance for snow showers or flurries further north across central and northern Mississippi.

Record Cold?

The coldest Christmas Day on record for Gulfport and Biloxi was back in 1983 when the morning low temperature dropped down to 11°. The coldest temperature ever for Gulfport and Biloxi was 1° on February 12, 1899.

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