Climatic Conditions : Mississippi

Winters are short and summers are long and humid. Summer temperatures vary little from one part of the state to another. Biloxi, on the Gulf coast, averages 82°F (28°C) in July, while Oxford, in the north-central part of the state, averages 80°F (27°C). The Gulf of Mexico influences the temperature of the southern coast which is much warmer than the north. In January, Biloxi averages 52°F (11°C) while temperature in Oxford is 41°F (5°C).

Precipitation in Mississippi increases from north to south. The north-central region averages 53 in (135 cm) of precipitation a year while the coastal region averages 62 in (157 cm) of precipitation. Northern and central sections of Mississippi receive some amount of snowfall. It is also prone to hurricanes during late summer and fall. Two tornado alleys cross Mississippi from the southwest to northeast, from Vicksburg to Oxford and McComb to Tupelo.