Forecast Discussion


339
FXUS64 KMEG 040526
AFDMEG

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Memphis TN
1126 PM CST Tue Feb 3 2026

...New DISCUSSION, AVIATION, FIRE WEATHER...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Issued at 1125 PM CST Tue Feb 3 2026

- Dry conditions and below normal temperatures will return for
  Wednesday and Thursday with temperatures dipping back down below
  freezing each morning.

- Dry conditions and slightly above normal temperatures are
  expected Friday through the weekend, which will lead to melting
  of residual ice, sleet, and snow.

- Above normal temperatures and dry conditions will continue into
  at least early next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
(Tonight through next Tuesday)
Issued at 1125 PM CST Tue Feb 3 2026

The latest surface analysis places a cold front over Middle
Tennessee southwest back into central Mississippi. Incredibly
dense fog affected a large portion of the Mid-South earlier due
to a combination of rainfall melting snow, ice, and sleet.
However, dense fog has since exited the region as noticeably
drier air has advected into the region. GOES East Nighttime
Microphysics RGB channel reveals low stratus creeping south and
west from Middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky. Simultaneously,
high cirrus is overspreading the region from the west. Surface
winds will remain elevated overnight promoting low level mixing.
Nonetheless, moderate cold air advection will cause temperatures
to dip below the freezing mark areawide. There is high confidence
that more slick and icy roadways can be expected for Wednesday
morning`s commute. High temperatures will crest above the
freezing mark Wednesday afternoon before plunging back down well
below freezing by Thursday morning. Slick and icy roadways are
likely to be a concern again for the Thursday morning commute.

Friday morning will feature another morning below freezing before
a warm front lifts north during the afternoon hours. Highs will
peak in the upper 50s and lower 60s. A dry Pacific-origin cold
front will pass through the region Friday night and drop
temperatures back down to near freezing for Saturday morning.

A warming trend will begin this weekend as upper level ridging
displaces troughing. This will lead to a dry and warm pattern
this weekend into at least early next week. Highs will peak in
the mid to upper 50s each day with temperatures above freezing
each morning. This warmer pattern will lead to several
consecutive days of significant melting of residual ice, sleet,
and snow across the region, further improving recovery efforts
across the region.

LREF guidance suggests that the ridge of high pressure will
dampen by mid week next week and operational models are
suggesting a more active sub-tropical jet bringing increased
moisture to the region from the southwest. The long range NBM
brings in a low chance of rain as early as Tuesday, but it is
still too early to tell due to current model disagreement.

&&

.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1125 PM CST Tue Feb 3 2026

VFR conditions will prevail at JBR through the TAF period, with a
MVFR to IFR cloud deck spreading across the TN River Valley. MKL
and TUP currently have MVFR cigs, with low cigs expected to
spread to MEM over the next few hours. Highest confidence in any
IFR cigs would be over TUP through the morning. Cigs will begin to
scatter into the afternoon hours, with improvements areawide back
to VFR by the end of the current TAF period. Northerly winds are
expected through the period, generally up to around 10 kts.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 1125 PM CST Tue Feb 3 2026

There is a high chance that subfreezing temperatures will return
for both Wednesday and Thursday mornings in wake of a cold front
passage. There is high confidence in a warming trend through the
weekend with no wetting rain chances over the next 5 days.

&&


.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...None.
MO...None.
MS...None.
TN...None.
&&

$$

PUBLIC FORECAST...AC3
AVIATION...CMA