Memphis, TN – Damaging wind and a sharp temperature crash are set to hit the Mid-South in back-to-back rounds, creating travel concerns Sunday and a growing threat to crops, gardens and exposed pipes through early Tuesday.
According to the National Weather Service in Memphis, a Wind Advisory remains in effect from 8 a.m. Sunday until 1 a.m. Monday for much of West Tennessee, North Mississippi, East Arkansas and the Missouri Bootheel. South winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected to gust as high as 45 mph before shifting northwest Sunday evening, with gusts still running 30 to 40 mph overnight. Freeze watches are also in effect from late Sunday night through Monday morning and again from Monday evening through Tuesday morning.
The broadest impact will be felt across the Memphis metro and surrounding counties, including Shelby, Fayette and Tipton in Tennessee, DeSoto and Marshall in Mississippi, and Crittenden County in Arkansas. Cities such as Memphis, Germantown, Bartlett, Collierville, Southaven, Olive Branch and West Memphis could see loose outdoor items blown around and scattered tree limb damage. A few power outages are possible, especially where weakened branches come down.
Farther north and east, places including Jackson, Dyersburg, Union City, Martin, Paris, Humboldt and Selmer are also in the advisory area. High-profile vehicles on north-south roads may have trouble in crosswinds Sunday, especially on exposed stretches of Interstate 40, Interstate 55 and rural highways.
The colder threat arrives after the winds. Overnight lows could fall to around 26 by Monday morning, then plunge near 18 by Tuesday morning in parts of the region. That kind of cold can kill tender plants, damage early crops and freeze unprotected outdoor plumbing. Cover sensitive vegetation, bring potted plants inside, disconnect hoses and check on pets before sunset Sunday and again Monday evening. More cold-weather alerts could follow as the start of the week unfolds.
