Strong winds could cause power outages & downed trees Friday

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - A strong cold front will move through the Mid-South late Thursday into early Friday morning. A wind advisory is in effect through Friday night.

Wind gusts will start increasing when the front arrives and continue to rise after it moves out. Behind the front, wind gusts could exceed 50 mph.

THREATS: After days of heavy rain, the ground is saturated, which can loosen tree roots in the soil. With winds 40-50+ mph, this could uproot trees and cause power outages and damage.

WHAT IS WIND? The main cause of wind may surprise you... It’s temperature. More specifically, the wind is caused by differences in atmospheric pressure which is mainly caused by temperature differences.

As the sun warms up the Earth, it does so unevenly. Because the sun hits different parts of the Earth at different angles, and because Earth has mountains, oceans, and other features, some places get warmer than others, which is why we have pockets and warm and cold air all over the Earth.

In Friday’s set-up, a cold front is providing that temperature difference as it pushes cold air into a warmer environment.

HOW TO PREPARE: We recommend securing any loose outdoor items, such as patio furniture. Also, be careful at intersections and treat them as a four way stop if the power is out.

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