Warm and cold air masses are expected to collide over central and northern Mississippi this week bringing a significant chance of heavy rain capable of producing flash floods beginning Tuesday afternoon.

National Weather Service meteorologists say a mass of warm, moist air is expected to glide north into central Mississippi from the Gulf Coast Tuesday afternoon and into Tuesday evening.

The warm air is expected to collide over night Tuesday with a cold front pushing south.

Weather forecasters believe the northern most regions of Mississippi could receive 4 to 7 inches of rain between through Sunday.

Central Mississippi is likely to receive between 2 and 4 inches of rain.