Umbrellas and winter coats will be needed tonight as heavy rains followed by plunging temperatures break the mild fall weather pattern that has dominated the area for weeks.

High temperatures in Vicksburg are expected to fall from the mid-70s, recorded this morning, to the mid-40s after 5 p.m. Temps near freezing are forecast for Wednesday and Thursday nights after a cold front moving across southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana passes the area, perhaps violently.

Rain chances today are 70 percent with the possibility of severe thunderstorms. Three-quarters of an inch of rain could fall in some areas in western Mississippi by midnight, forecasters said.

By tonight, rain chances rise to 100 percent as severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, large hail and wind gusts up to 25 mph will be ahead of the front. While Vicksburg will experience some of the heavy gusts, the National Weather Service expects the likeliest area for tornado development to be along a line north of U.S. 82, near Greenville. The low temperature in the area is expected to drop to 43 degrees.

The rain and wind should clear by Wednesday and though daytime skies will be sunny, lows may drop to 25 degrees Wednesday night. Highs won’t reach past the 50s until Sunday.

According to the National Weather Service, November is historically an active month for severe weather in the Mississippi Delta. Residents are advised to keep abreast of likely severe weather watches and warnings throughout the day.