Icy roads, power outages possible as winter storm moves into Mississippi. How to prepare
Mississippi residents should be prepared for wet, icy weather as a “dangerous” cold snap blows through this weekend into early next week, forecasters say.
Freezing rain, sleet and ice accumulation are likely to cause unsafe road conditions and power outages in the Mississippi Delta region as temperatures continue to plummet, according to the National Weather Center in Jackson.
In Hancock County, on the Coast, emergency management officials said they will open cold weather shelters each night beginning Friday until next Tuesday. Additional warming centers will likely open across the Coast as residents brace for the coldest weather of the season.
A flood warning was also issued Friday for the Biloxi River in nearby Harrison County as heavy storms move into the region ahead of next week’s cold snap.
“A steadfast dome of Frigid Arctic air will remain entrenched across the central U.S. and continue expanding south,” making “icy conditions possible from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Mid-Atlantic [with] showers and thunderstorms in the Southeast,” according to the National Weather Service.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said residents in the northern part of the state should take immediate “action to stay safe” during the dangerous cold, while those in the central and southern parts of the state still have some time to prepare.
Overnight temperatures of 20 degrees and below are expected, with single-digit wind chills for some areas, according to state officials. To best prepare, residents are encouraged to let faucets drip at night; seal all drafty windows and doors; bring plants and pets inside; insulate pipes; and check on elderly relatives and neighbors to be sure their heat is working properly.
Travel conditions are expected to be dangerous if roads freeze over the weekend. As of Friday afternoon, there were already reports of ice-covered roads and bridges in at least 14 counties across northern and central Mississippi, according to the state Department of Transportation.
The winter weather is expected to last from Friday afternoon through late Monday or early Tuesday.
This story was originally published February 12, 2021 at 12:26 PM.