The National Weather Service in Memphis issued a Dense Fog Advisory early this morning, alerting residents across parts of East Arkansas, North Mississippi, Southeast Missouri, and West Tennessee to significantly reduced visibility on the roads. The advisory is in effect until 9 AM CDT with the NWS Memphis forecast calling for visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog, legitimizing concerns over potentially dangerous driving conditions.
Commuters heading out this morning should expect not just fog but also "patchy dense fog before 9am," which might clear up as the day progresses into partly sunny skies with a high near 78, according to the latest weather update from NWS. Memphis, though they should remember to use their headlights and maintain a prudent distance from other vehicles because the fog is expected to be challenge until it lifts. After the fog's expected dissipation, a 40% chance of precipitation looms with a possibility of showers and thunderstorms later in the afternoon, thus it's another layer of complexity for the folks trying to plan their day around the Memphis area weather.
Looking ahead, tonight will also have its share of weather uncertainties, a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7pm is forecasted, transitioning into a partly cloudy night with temperatures dropping to around 60 degrees, calm North wind around 5 mph included on the menu. The inconsistency persists into the weekend with a mixed batch of clouds, slight chances of showers, and thunderstorms peppering the region from tomorrow to Sunday night, making it prudent for anyone planning outdoor activities to keep an umbrella close and their eyes on the most current weather forecasts.
On a longer horizon, the early part of next week doesn't promise respite from the unsettled weather with NWS Memphis predicting a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms for Monday which makes it half likely or not that folks in the area will need to keep their rain gear handy, depending on how you want to look at it, while hints of sunshine may break through by mid-week, when by Wednesday, the region could bask in sunny skies with a rise in temperatures peaking near 86 degrees.
