As temperatures began to rise above freezing for most portions of the state Wednesday afternoon, city and state officials said they are still working to ensure that essential services and infrastructure remain functional.
Temperatures throughout the state Monday night going through Wednesday morning were in the single and teen digits even reaching record lows in some areas.
The cold conditions over the past few days have caused deaths, pipes to burst, road closures and power outages that officials said they are assessing.
MEMA: Two people deceased due to winter weather
Two weather-related deaths have been reported as the state nears the end of an arctic blast and freezing temperatures.
According to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), the first death occurred Sunday during a car accident in Humphreys County.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol reported a man was killed on the side of U.S. 49 near the Will Whittington Auxiliary Channel Bridge approximately 8 p.m. when he was assessing damage to his vehicle.
The victim, whose identity has not been released, was struck by a white Ford F-250. The driver fled from the scene and has not been taken into custody. Anyone with information pertaining to the crash is asked to contact the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
MEMA released that the second death took place in Sharkey County. The agency said the incident was “due to the extreme cold.” No other details have been provided at this time.
MEMA said residents who need to warm up may seek shelter at a county or city-run warming center in yourarea. A full list of shelters and safe rooms can be found here.
Live feed weather update: Mississippi weather: Wednesday school closures, road conditions
JXN Water: Return to normal water use
Customers can now return to their normal water use, according to a JXN Water press release.
JXN Water said that a higher demand for water was up “ten million gallons more today than usual.” Of that 10 million, nearly 7.5 million gallons came from customer water use.
Officials said leaks inside the home on a customer’s side may cause a high-water bill. The main causes of leaks inside most homes are from the toilets, shower hoses, kitchen and bathroom faucets. Customers can log into their Digital Self-Service account at www.JXNwater.com/myaccount to check their normal water use.
Leaks outside the home from the street to the meter are under JXN Water’s responsibility. Officials said crews are still out isolating neighborhood pipe breaks. Repairs may be delayed up to 48 hours depending on the type of break and the way the line sits in the system.
JXN Water leaders thanked customers for helping the utility get through most of the deep freeze without major service disruptions.
“We expect a few more challenges as the ground thaws and causes some additional pipe breaks but we remain fully prepared to address those,” said Interim Third-Party Water Manager Ted Henifin. “We certainly hope your own plumbing fared well through this deep freeze and ask that you turn your dripping faucets off now that temperatures have risen above freezing. This will help us keep your service uninterrupted should we experience more pipe breaks as we thaw out over the next few days.”
Customers can call 601-500-5200 if they have any questions about their water, report neighborhood leaks or report public pipe breaks.
How JXN Water monitored water system: Jackson’s water plants have been winterized. This week’s freeze will be the first test
MDOT: 57 counties have ice on roads, bridges
As of noon Wednesday, 57 counties were reported to have ice on roads and bridges.
According to the Mississippi Department of Transportation, there is still an alert for the following counties: Alcorn, Amite, Attala, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Claiborne, Clay, Coahoma, Copiah, Covington, DeSoto, Franklin, Grenada, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Itawamba, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lee, Leflore, Lincoln, Lowndes, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pike, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Walthall, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wilkinson, Winston, Yalobusha and Yazoo.
“MDOT is hoping as the road temperature increases, the ice that has formed and black ice will melt quickly, allowing for dry roads and safer travel. MDOT crews are again today treating roads and bridges with slag and salt which will help melt any ice that reformed overnight with the freezing temperatures,” said MDOT spokesperson David Kenney. “Maintenance workers will monitor the roads and weather reports closely over the next few days as temps go below freezing overnight and the possibility of re-freezing could occur.”
Stay updated with live travel information by downloading the MDOT Traffic mobile app, visiting MDOTtraffic.com and following @MississippiDOT on Facebook and Twitter.
How MDOT prepared for incoming storm: MDOT official say the department is preparing for extreme polar weather ahead
Entergy Mississippi: Power restored to most customers
Despite the sleet and snow across the state, the power grid from Entergy appeared to hold up well.
According to Entergy’s power outage map, less than 2,000 electric customers were without power at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Majority of the outages reported affected these counties: Grenada (777), Hinds (204) and Desoto (193).
By noon, that number was down to 360 customers with most outages being reported in Hinds (102) and Desoto (177). Power outage counts can fluctuate.
Entergy spokesperson Candace Coleman told the Clarion Ledger in a previous statement that the company was working to restore power Tuesday morning after 3,466 electric customers went without power.
How Entergy planned for polar weather: Has Entergy learned lessons from past major storms? Company braces for arctic weather
Tyler Fields is your internet guru, delving into the latest trends, developments, and issues shaping the online world. With a focus on internet culture, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, Tyler keeps readers informed about the dynamic landscape of the internet and its impact on our digital lives.
