Meridian residents bundle up for cold temps

Jan. 15—This story has been updated to reflect announced school closings.

With snow already blanketing the northern part of the state, Meridian area residents had better bundle up. It's about to get cold.

An Arctic air mass will bring dangerously cold temperatures to the Meridian area through Wednesday morning with a chance of a wintry mix moving in later Monday evening, according to the U.S. National Weather Service in Jackson.

Precipitation, including three to six inches of snow, moved into north Mississippi over night on Sunday and was still falling in some areas Monday morning.

As the precipitation continues to spread south through the state late Monday afternoon, it looks like it will be more of a wintry mix of white freezing rain and sleet much to the disappointment of area children who had hopes for snow.

"The precipitation is going to start spreading south later today," said Daniel Lamb, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. "Snow looks less likely. As it comes south, it looks like it will be more sleet and freezing rain."

Lamb said the precipitation will continue through the night on Monday with the possibility of an accumulation of one-tenth or two-tenths in the Meridian area, which may cause travel issues on roadways and bridges, making them icy and slick.

Meridian Public School District offices and schools will be closed on Tuesday due to the winter weather. All extracurricular activities scheduled for Tuesday also are canceled.

Lauderdale County School District schools and offices will be closed on Tuesday, and all after-school activities are canceled as well. The county school district is planning for a delayed start to school on Wednesday at 10 a.m. with bus routes adjusted to accommodate the later start.

Lamar School, Russell Christian Academy and St. Patrick Catholic School all have canceled school for Tuesday.

Meridian Community College has canceled all events, activities and face-to-face classes for Tuesday, and all campus offices will be closed due to the weather conditions. Students are asked to check Canvas to learn about course expectations.

Mississippi State University Meridian Campus is being impacted by winter weather and will begin the spring semester on Tuesday with remote operations, according to a release from MSU. Students can login to Canvas for course information from instructors. Employees who can work remotely are encouraged to do so.

A wind chill advisory and hard freeze warning is in effect for most of north and central Mississippi for the next couple of days.

In the Meridian area, the high on Monday is expected to reach 39 or 40 degrees by noon, then continue to fall throughout the afternoon and into the night, dipping as low as 18 or 19 degrees by early Tuesday morning, Lamb said. Because it will be a little bit of a breeze blowing Monday night, the wind chills for the Meridian area could be as low as zero to 5 degrees, he said.

"It is going to feel colder than it actually is going to be," Lamb said.

Highs on Tuesday will be right around freezing throughout the day with temperatures expected to reach 32 to 34 degrees in the Meridian area before starting to drop in the late afternoon. Clouds will be lingering around for most of the day. Over night on Tuesday, the low in the Meridian area is expected to fall to around 11 degrees before Wednesday morning.

"We are going to struggle to get to freezing tomorrow," Lamb said.

He said residents should ready their homes for the below-freezing temperatures. The National Weather Service recommends making sure water pipes are insulated and leaving faucets dripping to prevent the pipes from freezing. It also suggests closing off unneeded rooms and bringing pets indoors to protect them from the wind and cold.

On Wednesday, temperatures are expected to get back above freezing by mid- to late- morning, he said, with the high for the day expected to reach the mid 40s.

On Sunday, Gov. Tate Reeves issued a State of Emergency in anticipation of the winter weather heading for the state. The State of Emergency allows the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency to move assets throughout the state to help cities and communities prepare and respond to the impending weather.

"The state of Mississippi is proactively taking steps to prepare for freezing temperatures and severe winter weather," Reeves said in a press release from his office. "By declaring this State of Emergency, we can mobilize state assets, and better support response and recovery efforts. All Mississippians in the impacted areas are encouraged to take precautions over the next few days. Prepare your homes now for below-freezing temperatures, bring pets inside, and check in with your loved ones who are most susceptible during this frigid weather."

Lauderdale County Emergency Management Agency opened a warming shelter at the Mt. Barton Auditorium at 2900 St. Paul Street on Sunday night to provide for those residents who need a place to get out of the cold. The shelter will also be open 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. Monday through Wednesday nights. Soup, coffee and hot chocolate will be available for those staying at the shelter.

Contact Glenda Sanders at gsanders@themeridianstar.com.