Winter storms will bring snow, ice to the Southeast. Here’s the forecast for the MS Coast.

The Gulf Coast may experience light freezing rain Thursday night and early Friday morning, followed by below-freezing low temperatures into Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

On Wednesday morning, lead forecaster Phil Grigsby at the NWS in New Orleans told the Sun Herald that elevated surfaces including bridges in the Gulfport-Biloxi area could turn icy late Thursday night, presenting potential hazards for morning commuters.

The Coast will see temperatures dip to lows between 26 and 29 degrees on Friday and Saturday nights.

On Wednesday afternoon, Mississippi Department of Transportation issued a winter weather advisory for the Mississippi Coast for the Coast that’s in effect from 6 p.m. Thursday to noon Friday. The advisory notice warned of possible wind chill temperatures as low as 15 degrees, which could cause hypothermia if precautions are not taken.

While these low temperatures are not uncommon in the winter months, the freezing rain is more unusual for the region, occurring only about once every five years.

Typically, cold fronts on the Coast are not associated with winter precipitation.

“But this time, we have what we call a ‘Gulf low,’ or a low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico, that’s going to bring us a better chance of precipitation later in overnight hours Friday morning,” Grigsby said.

The freezing rain is forecast to cause less than a tenth of an inch of ice accumulation, and is unlikely to cause damage to power lines or tree branches.

Winter weather brought snowfall and storms to several parts of the Southeast over the weekend, and more is in the forecast.

Parts of South Carolina are now under a winter storm watch, with ice and snow predicted. More snow is also predicted in Charlotte, North Carolina on Jan. 21.

After a weekend of winter weather in Raleigh, The News & Observer is asking residents to identify the spots for the best sledding in the North Carolina Triangle.