Mississippi Sound holds late-summer warmth into the equinox

What's next

With no cold front signal in the current data, expect these upper-80s readings to hold through the next two to three days rather than break sharply. The Sound typically starts easing toward fall temperatures in early-to-mid October, so this week still reads as deep summer on the thermometer even with the equinox landing tomorrow.

The moon is in a waxing gibbous phase, building toward full over the coming days, which typically strengthens tidal flow through Sound passes and around structure. Neither CO-OPS station returned a predicted high or low for this cycle, so plan around the stronger moving water that comes as the moon fills out rather than a specific tide window. The stretch around the weekend, as the moon phase peaks, is usually the better bet for current-driven activity in a system like this.

Watch MS DMR's public notices for anything that would affect access, though nothing filed this week touches recreational regulations or seasons.

Context

Late September in Mississippi Sound sits at the tail end of the summer thermal regime. Water in the high 80s is typical for this date, and the shift into a clearer fall pattern usually shows up gradually through October rather than all at once. This year's readings put the Sound right on that typical seasonal clock, neither running warm nor cool for the date.