**NWS FORM E-5** **U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE** HYDROLOGIC SERVICE AREA
(HSA)

(11-88) **NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION**

**(PRES. by NWS Instruction 10-924) NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE** **WFO
Jackson, Mississippi**

REPORT FOR:

**MONTHLY REPORT OF RIVER AND FLOOD CONDITIONS** MONTH YEAR

**February 2006**

> SIGNATURE
>
> TO: Hydrometeorological Information Center, W/OH2 **Alan E. Gerard,
> MIC**

NOAA / National Weather Service **In Charge of HSA**

1325 East West Highway, Room 7230

> Silver Spring, MD 20910-3283 DATE
>
> **March 10, 2006**

*When no flooding occurs, include miscellaneous river conditions, such
as significant rises, record low stages, ice* *conditions, snow*

*cover, droughts, and hydrologic products issued (NWS Instruction
10-924)*

**[Synopsis\...]{.mark}**

**The month of February was characterized by mostly above normal
rainfall over the area with the exception of Southwest Mississippi and
extreme southern portions of Southeast Mississippi. Several periods of
cold temperatures occurred during the month. A few snow flurries were
reported over the northern sections from late on the 10^th^ into early
on the 11^th^. Some icing conditions occurred over extreme northwest
sections of the Hydrologic Service Area (HSA) on the 17^th^ and over
most northern sections on the 19^th^ and 20^th^.**

**A strong low pressure center and an associated cold front moved across
the area on the 2^nd^. The front stalled along the coast on the 3^rd^.
Thunderstorms set up north of the stalled frontal boundary and ahead of
yet another strong fast moving cold front. Hail of 1.75 inches was
reported over southern sections of Northeast Louisiana into Central and
Southern Mississippi. The cold front pushed through late on the 3^rd^
bringing much cooler and drier air. Rainfall amounts from 1.00 to 3.00
inches were reported over the HSA with heaviest amounts occurring in
Southwest Mississippi and the southern sections of Northeast Louisiana.
High pressure built into the area on the 4^th^ and 5^th^.**

**By the morning of the 6^th^, a warm front pushed north ahead of a low
pressure center over western Louisiana. The low and an associated cold
front moved rapidly east across southern Mississippi during the day.
Rainfall amounts ranged from little to no rainfall over Northeast
Louisiana to near 2 inches over northern and northeastern sections of
the HSA. High pressure built into the area on the 7^th^ and 8^th^. A dry
reinforcing cold front pushed through the area from late on the 8^th^
into the 9^th^.**

**The cold front stalled along the coast acting as a focal point for
cyclogenesis in the Northwest Gulf of Mexico. The low pressure center
tracked across southern Mississippi on the 10^th^ with another very
strong cold front pushing into the area from the northwest. Heavy
rainfall occurred over the entire area with the heaviest rainfall
extending from Northeast Louisiana through Central and East Mississippi.
Rainfall ranged from 1.00 to 3.00 inches over the area. Some heavier 24
hour rainfall totals ending at 7am on the 11^th^: 2.50 inches at Larto
Lake, LA; 2.48 inches at Mize, MS; 2.30 inches at Clayton, LA; 2.27
inches at Bay Springs, MS; and 2.20 inches at Crystal Springs, MS. By
the morning of the 11^th^, light rain had turned to some light snow and
flurries over northern sections of the HSA with little or no
accumulations. High pressure began to build into the area bringing some
of coldest air of the season into the area through the 13^th^. High
pressure moved east allowing a warming trend over the period from the
14^th^ to the 16^th^.**

**From the 17^th^ to 25^th^, fairly miserable weather was evident over
the HSA with light rain, drizzle, some freezing rain in northern
sections, and several heavy rainfall events. On the 17^th^, yet another
cold front pushed into the area leading the way for a very shallow layer
of extremely frigid artic air. The front stalled along the
Louisiana/Mississippi Coast. Upper level southwesterly winds continued
to pump moisture northward, up and over the shallow cold air producing
rainfall over portions of the HSA. Near the end of the day on the 19^th^
and into the morning of the 20^th^, freezing temperature had plunged
into northern portions of Northeast Louisiana, northwestern and north
central portions of Mississippi producing light freezing rain over these
areas. Ice built up on trees, power lines, and bridges. The frontal
boundary remained stalled along the coastal sections on the 20^th^ and
21^st^. Early on the 22^nd^, the front lifted to the north as a warm
front. Rainfall from the 17^th^ to 22^nd^ ranged from 0.50 inches to
around 1.00 inch. By the evening of the 22^nd^, the front was sitting
along a line from just north of Natchez to just south of Meridian. A
line of very heavy rainfall developed just north of this boundary from
northern portions of Northeast Louisiana through Yazoo County and then
across Attala County to lower Lowndes County in the northeast portions
of the HSA. Rainfall totals across this area ranged from 2.00 to 5.00
inches with the heaviest rainfall occurring in Attala County. Some
heavier rainfall totals ending at 7am on the 23^rd^: 4.70 inches at
Ethel, MS; 4.23 inches at Kosciusko, MS; 3.89 inches at the Tombigbee
National Forest RAWS site; 3.70 inches at Pickens, MS; 3.25 inches at
Starkville, MS; and 3.09 inches at Ackerman. By the morning of the
23^rd^, the front had once again pushed to the Mississippi Coast. The
HSA had a brief reprieve from rainfall for most of the 23^rd^ until late
afternoon on the 24^th^. On the evening of the 24^th^, rainfall once
again redeveloped over entire HSA. The 24 hour rainfall totals ending on
the 25^th^ ranged from 1.00 to 2.00 inches. Another cold front pushed
through the area during the late afternoon and early evening of the
25^th^. Twenty four hour rainfall amounts, ending at 7am on the 26^th^,
ranged from around 0.50 inches over North and Central Mississippi to
around 3.00 inches over Southeast Mississippi. With the passage of the
cold front, high pressure finally dominated the weather, bringing dry
and cooler weather for the remainder of the month.**

**River and Soil Conditions\...**

**Rainfall during the month significantly increased soil moisture across
the entire area. Soil moisture remains above normal in central and
northern portions of Mississippi. In South Mississippi, Northeast
Louisiana, and Southeast Arkansas, soil moisture remains near or just
slightly below normal.**

**The U.S. Drought Monitor issued weekly during the month showed much
improvement to the abnormally dry conditions over the area. By the end
of the month, no abnormally dry areas were noted.**

![](media/image1.png){width="3.446527777777778in"
height="2.5618055555555554in"}![](media/image2.png){width="3.4555555555555557in"
height="2.582638888888889in"}

**January 31^st^, 2006 Drought Monitor February 28^th^, 2006 Drought
Monitor**

**Streamflow remained near normal or slightly above normal over most of
the HSA. Streamflow over Southwest Mississippi was running a little less
than normal. Above normal rainfall caused moderate flooding on the Big
Black River and minor flooding on the Noxubee, Upper and Middle Pearl,
Yockanookany, Tuscolameta Creek, Yalobusha, Big Sunflower, and the Lower
Yazoo River. Minor to moderate rises occurred along rivers in Northeast
Louisiana, Southeast Arkansas, and the Tombigbee Tributaries in
Northeast Mississippi.**

**Based on a near normal rainfall forecast for the 60 to 90 day period
over the HSA and current soil moisture conditions, an above normal flood
potential exists along the Big Black River Basin and the Upper Pearl
River Basin and the Noxubee River Basin. A near or slightly below normal
flood potential exists over Southwest Mississippi including the
Homochitto River Basin. The remainder of the HSA has a near normal flood
potential.**

**Rainfall for the month of February\...**

**The heaviest rainfall amounts in the HSA from NWS Cooperative
Observers (Reports from 7am on January, 31^h^ until 7am on February
28^th^) for the month were: 12.41 inches at Kosciusko, MS; 11.77 inches
at Pickens, MS; 11.21 inches at Ackerman, MS; 10.55 inches at
Starkville, MS; 10.12 inches at Satartia, MS; 10.02 inches at
Louisville, MS; 9.95 inches at Brooksville Agricultural Experiment
Station, MS; 9.68 inches at Vaiden, MS; and 9.37 inches at Crawford
3W.**

**Rainfall Multi-Precipitation graphic (MPE) from 7AM on the February
1^st^ to 7AM on March 1^st^:**

![](media/image3.png){width="6.770833333333333in"
height="4.166666666666667in"}

**February 2006 Rainfall Estimates \*\*\***

![](media/image4.png){width="6.770833333333333in"
height="4.166666666666667in"}

**February 2006 Percent of Normal Rainfall Estimates\*\*\* Note:
Observers Rainfall and MPE may differ due to observation time.**

**\*\*\* Rainfall estimates in Southeast AR, Bolivar County, northern
Sunflower, northern Washington, and northern Leflore Counties in
Mississippi are too low.**

**[February Rainfall for Selected Cities]{.mark}\...**

**February Departure 2006 2006 Departure City Airport Rainfall from
normal Rainfall from Normal**

  ---------------- ----------- -------------- -------------- --------------
  **Jackson, MS**  **7.10**    **2.60**       **13.76**      **3.59**

  **Meridian, MS** **6.78**    **1.43**       **11.86**      **0.70**

  **Greenwood,     **7.46**    **1.64**       **14.35**      **4.90**
  MS**                                                       

  **Greenville,    **5.10**    **N/A**        **14.29**      **N/A**
  MS**                                                       

  **Hattiesburg,   **4.83**    **N/A**        **7.50**       **N/A**
  MS**                                                       

  **Vicksburg,     **8.69**    **N/A**        **12.92**      **N/A**
  MS**                                                       
  ---------------- ----------- -------------- -------------- --------------

**Mississippi River\...**

**The Mississippi River from Arkansas City to Natchez crested during the
first week of the month. River stages trended downward for most of the
month with only a slight rise during the last few days of the month.**

**River stages at Arkansas City and Greenville were near seasonal norms
for the first week of the month and stayed below for the remainder of
the month. River stages at Vicksburg and Natchez were above seasonal
norms until around the middle of the month and then remained below for
the rest of the month.**

**Preliminary high and low stages for the month:**

**Location High Stage(ft) Date Low Stage(ft)** Date

  ------------------ ------------- --------------- ----------- --------------
  **Arkansas City,   **23.41**     **02/02/06**    **9.39**    **02/28/06**
  AR**                                                         

  **Greenville, MS** **34.94**     **02/02/06**    **19.89**   **02/28/06**

  **Vicksburg, MS**  **30.03**     **02/03/06**    **15.62**   **02/24/06**

  **Natchez, MS**    **37.43**     **02/04/06**    **23.69**   **02/25/06**
  ------------------ ------------- --------------- ----------- --------------

**Total Flood Warning products issued: 27**

**Total Flood Statement products issued: 156**

**Daily Rainfall Products (RRA\'S) issued 28**

**Daily River Forecast Products (RVS\'S) issued: 28**

**Daily River Stage products (RVA\'S) issued 28**

**Marty V. Pope**

**Service Hydrologist**

**&**

**Latrice Maxie**

**Assistant Hydrologist/Meteorological Forecaster**

**Note: Provisional Stage and precipitation data was furnished with the
cooperation of the Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas National Weather
Service Cooperative Observers, United States Geological Survey (USGS),
United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Pearl River Valley Water
Supply District (PRVWSD), Pat Harrison Waterway District, Pearl River
Basin Development District, and the Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality.**

**cc: USGS Little Rock District**

**USGS Ruston District**

**USACE Mobile District**

**USACE Vicksburg District**

**USACE Mississippi Valley Division**

**USGS Mississippi District**

**SRH Climate, Weather and Water Division**

**LMRFC**

**Pearl River Valley Water Supply District**

**Hydrologic Information Center**

**Southern Region Climate Center**

**Pat Harrison Waterway District**

**Pearl River Basin Development District**