The timeline for Winter Storm Fern’s impacts on Mississippi is coming into clearer focus as Friday night approaches. The National Weather Service in Jackson said Friday morning that icy elements and hazardous conditions are still expected across much of the state, though the storm’s projected impacts have shifted slightly north.
The update, which was issued at 4:08 a.m., shows an “extreme” risk of severe weather hitting the northernmost part of the state as early as 6 p.m. on Friday and creeping southwest. As the storm moves down the state on Saturday and Sunday, the risk is forecast to lessen to “significant” and then to “elevated” and “limited.”
The Jackson metro, compared to Thursday’s outlook, moved out of the significant risk zone and into the elevated zone. The Meridian, Laurel, and Hattiesburg areas notably moved out of the projected risk zone.
Little to no snowfall is expected in Mississippi, with freezing rain and sleet being the main concerns.
Residents urged to prepare
There is still time to make sure you are as ready as possible for Winter Storm Fern’s impacts on Mississippi. The NWS uses the “four Ps” as a safety mnemonic to remind people of the best ways to prepare:
- People: Ensure family and neighbors stay warm, check on the elderly, and limit time outside.
- Pets: Bring all pets and livestock indoors or provide a warm, dry shelter with unfrozen water.
- Pipes: Insulate exposed pipes, disconnect hoses, and let indoor and outdoor faucets drop to prevent freezing and bursting.
- Plants: Cover outdoor plants with cloth or bring potted plants inside to protect them.
Other preparation advice includes fueling up vehicles – these can be used for heat and charging electronics “when in a pinch,” according to NWS Jackson meteorologist Orion Jones – having bottled water and nonperishables on hand, and making sure you and all members of the family have a safety plan in place.
Roadways are being prepped as residents are urged to stay off
Preparations through the Mississippi Department of Transportation have been underway since early this week. The state agency began brining roads Thursday morning in the northern part of the state. Brine is a liquid solution of salt and water applied directly to roadways to help prevent ice from sticking.
Even with those preparations, MDOT executive director Brad White encourages people in impacted areas to stay off the roads this weekend unless “absolutely necessary.” Crews will be on call to help clear roadways throughout the storm, but it says that is mostly with first responders and utility providers in mind.
Utility companies are readying for outages
Losing power in some parts of the state is not “out of the picture by any means,” Jones said. However, extended power outages for multiple days are not expected at this time.
Local utility providers such as Entergy Mississippi, Tennessee Valley Authority, and Mississippi Power are ready to respond to any outages. Each has brought in additional crews to be able to essentially work around the clock and restore power as safely and as quickly as possible.
“If we get around half of an inch of ice, that begins to create a problem,” Entergy Mississippi President and CEO Haley Fisackerly said. “Right now, we’re telling our people to rest up, get prepared, and get packed. Once an incident happens, we go to 16-hour workdays.”
The office of Gov. Tate Reeves, as part of his declaration of a state of emergency, is working closely with utility providers. The state has already deployed generators, pallets of water, roof tarps, and other supplies to counties that have requested assistance.