Officials urge Mississippians to stay warm as sub-freezing temperatures descend on the state

by

Lacey Alexander

• Published on December 22, 2022 • Last modified on December 21, 2022 • Comments

Pedestrians brave the cold during their morning commute, Friday, Feb. 20, 2015, in New York. Arctic air and bitterly cold wind is moving across the Northeast, plunging temperatures into record low single digits, accompanied by subzero wind chills.
AP Photo/John Minchillo

Meteorologists are saying an arctic air mass will bring record-low temperatures to the south. Precipitation is possible Thursday, which could lead to ice on the roads and affect holiday travel.

Lacey Alexander

Officials urge Mississippians to stay warm as sub-freezing temperatures descend on the state

David Cox is the Lead Meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Jackson. He says the state could see its coldest temperatures in decades.

"A good portion of the region may not even get above freezing for a period of time," he said. "Some of that could last 36 hours... or even longer."

Many shelters are opening across the state for those that are unhoused. Mary Ann Kirby is with a program called "Shower Power," which provides meals and showers for people that need them. She says her team has only helped with putting the homeless in hotel rooms and never formed an actual shelter, but these unprecedented temperatures made it necessary.

"We just don't have any choice," she said. "There are too many people that are completely unsheltered... they'll die."

The freezing temperatures are expected to last until Sunday.