Mississippi, 2025

Drought in Mississippi, September 9 to 30, 2025

September 9 to 30, 2025 · NWS MEG · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Early in September, soil moisture was well below normal, and river flows were below typical values due to the lack of beneficial rainfall. Severe (D2) Drought conditions expanded and persisted through the month.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MEG wrote it up.

Early in September, soil moisture was well below normal, and river flows were below typical values due to the lack of beneficial rainfall. Severe (D2) Drought conditions expanded and persisted through the month. Pastures were providing very little or no feed, and supplemental feeding was required to maintain livestock. Unfortunately, the seasonal outlook did not forecast improvement across north Mississippi, and drought conditions continued into October.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Memphis, TN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 8, 9:46 PM CST, 2 hours 14 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Updated at 1043 PM CDT Mon Sep 8 2025
  • Hot and dry conditions return this week with temperatures climbing back into the 90s.
  • Ongoing drought conditions will worsen by the end of the week.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 8, 9:46 PM CST, 2 hours 14 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Memphis TN
1046 PM CDT Mon Sep 8 2025

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

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 1043 PM CDT Mon Sep 8 2025

- Hot and dry conditions return this week with temperatures
  climbing back into the 90s.

- Ongoing drought conditions will worsen by the end of the week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
(Tonight through next Monday)
Issued at 1043 PM CDT Mon Sep 8 2025

Summertime temperatures return to the Mid-South today as an Omega
Block pushes into central CONUS. Southerly surface winds will
advect much warmer air into the region today with highs reaching
the upper 80s and lower 90s. Unfortunately, temperatures will
continue to warm through the end of the week as the aforementioned
Omega Block dominates the synoptic pattern. By Thursday,
afternoon highs will be in the mid to upper 90s. The good news in
relation to this forecast: dewpoints will remain in the lower 60s.
As such, heat indices will remain well below heat headline
threshold.

Precipitation chances are few and far between for the next week or
so as surface high pressure prevails. Given prolonged dry
conditions, areas of the Mid-South will likely see an upgrade to
D2 severe drought conditions by the end of the week.

ANS

&&

.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1043 PM CDT Mon Sep 8 2025

VFR conditions continue across the area. Light winds overnight
will veer to the SE during the daytime, generally around 5 kts.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 1043 PM CDT Mon Sep 8 2025

Elevated fire danger will exist this week as MinRH values remain
in the 30 percent range. This, combined with dry fuels, will
produce conditions conducive for easy fire development. The good
news: 20ft winds will remain 5-10 mph, so any fire that does
ignite should not spread quickly.

&&

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

PUBLIC FORECAST...ANS
AVIATION...CMA

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, De Soto

When
September 9, 12:00 AM CST to September 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
De Soto forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.875, -89.992 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September. Lack of beneficial rainfall resulted in no improvement and D2 conditions persisted into October.

Drought, Panola

When
September 9, 12:00 AM CST to September 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Panola forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.364, -89.951 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September. Lack of beneficial rainfall resulted in no improvement and D2 conditions persisted into October.

Drought, Tate

When
September 9, 12:00 AM CST to September 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Tate forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.650, -89.945 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September. Lack of beneficial rainfall resulted in no improvement and D2 conditions persisted into October.

Drought, Quitman

When
September 14, 12:00 AM CST to September 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Quitman forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.251, -90.289 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September. Lack of beneficial rainfall resulted in no improvement and D2 conditions persisted into October.

Drought, Tunica

When
September 14, 12:00 AM CST to September 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Tunica forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.652, -90.375 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September. Lack of beneficial rainfall resulted in no improvement and D2 conditions persisted into October.

Drought, Yalobusha

When
September 14, 12:00 AM CST to September 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Yalobusha forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.028, -89.708 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September. Lack of beneficial rainfall resulted in no improvement and D2 conditions persisted into October.

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Mississippi in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, September 2025

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1293058, 1293059, 1293061, 1293060, 1293062, 1293063.