WEATHER

Live updates: Pine Belt could see more severe weather. Here's what we know.

Laurel Thrailkill
Hattiesburg American

Editor’s note: The Hattiesburg American is making this severe weather story free for everyone to read as a public service. We can’t continue to do this important work without your support. If you don’t already, please subscribe today at https://cm.hattiesburgamerican.com/specialoffer.

Another round of winter weather

A hazardous weather outlook was issued Tuesday morning by the National Weather Service for Forrest, Lamar, Jones Lincoln and Marion counties.

The outlook warns of low temperatures near or below 20 degrees Tuesday night. Hypothermia is possible with prolonged exposure and there will be a possible danger to exposed pipes.

Sub-freezing temperatures through Wednesday morning may limit the melting

potential in parts of the region, and puddles of melted ice and sleet may refreeze overnight and cause areas of slick black ice on roads and bridges, NWS reported.

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Another winter storm is expected Wednesday morning through Thursday, NWS reported, which could result in dangerous travel conditions and numerous power outages. This winter storm will result in significant icing and snow accumulations for portions of extreme southeast Arkansas, northeast Louisiana and west-northwest Mississippi.

Areas of South Mississippi are expected to see a mix of precipitation on Wednesday followed by rain Wednesday night.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said the storm system could result in possible severe weather across portions of the Pine Belt and the coastal counties. 

The Pine Belt is at a marginal risk with the main threat forecast to be damaging wind gusts.

On Wednesday, there is a chance of sprinkles and flurries before 11 a.m., then a chance of sprinkles between 11 a.m. and noon with rain showers likely after noon. The expected high is near 48. The chance of precipitation is 60%. with new precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Wednesday night there will be showers and possibly a thunderstorm with a low around 35. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph, and the chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch are possible.

Coldest Feb. 15 on record

According to data from NWS, Monday was the coldest Feb. 15 on record for Hattiesburg with a low of 20. The second coldest Feb. 15 on record was in 1960 when the low was 25.

Hard freeze warning

Forrest, Lamar and Jones counties, including the cities of Hattiesburg, Laurel, Columbia, Lumberton and Purvis, are under a hard freeze warning until noon Wednesday.

Other counties in the area under the hard freeze warning include Lowndes, Noxubee, Neshoba, Kemper, Scott, Newton, Lauderdale, Simpson, Smith, Jasper, Clarke, Franklin, Lincoln, Lawrence, Jefferson Davis, Covington, Marion, Bolivar, Sunflower, Leflore, Grenada, Carroll, Montgomery, Webster, Clay, Choctaw, Oktibbeha, Washington, Humphreys, Holmes, Attala, Winston, Issaquena, Sharkey, Yazoo, Madison, Leake, Warren, Hinds, Rankin, Claiborne, Copiah, Jefferson and Adams.

Highs will remain near or below freezing across the entire warned area on Tuesday, and lows on Tuesday night will range from near 15 to 20 degrees. Hard freeze conditions will result in damage to exposed pipes, and water main breaks are expected.

Reports of power outages

Power outages due to ice and gusty winds have affected the Pine Belt.

Mississippi Power reported that as of 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, there was a total of 143 active outages with 1,081 customers without power in the local Pine Belt area. The live outage map can be viewed at https://OutageMap.MississippiPower.com.

Southern Pine Electric reported Tuesday around 3 p.m. there were 22 outages in Jones County and 10 in Forrest County.

Dixie Electric Power Association reported as of Tuesday around 3 p.m., three meters were affected by outages in Jones County and three in Forrest County.

Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association reported as of Tuesday around 3 p.m., two meters were affected in Lamar County.

The duration of power outages in certain areas depends on how well power crews will be able to navigate the dangerous road conditions caused by ice, sleet and freezing rain, NWS meteorologist Logan Poole said Monday.

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Weather-related incidents mounting, MHP says

Roads and bridges across most of Mississippi are covered in ice and snow, creating a dangerous situation for motorists and leaving some roads impassible. 

According to the Mississippi Highway Patrol, state troopers have worked 695 weather-related calls between Sunday and 6 a.m. Tuesday morning. 

Troop J, based in Hattiesburg, has worked 22 weather-related calls.

Emergency power outage number, take shelter

As of 2:35 p.m. Tuesday, PowerOutage.US reported at least 37,918 customers in Mississippi were without power.

Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley said Sunday that residents who have both a power outage and a life-threatening condition or have an emergency need for power can call or text 601-383-3287 for assistance.

Shelters in Hattiesburg, Pine Belt area

Hattiesburg mayor Toby Barker said Monday that anyone who has no heat or warm place to stay can come to the Forrest County Emergency Management 361 Shelter located at 946 Sullivan Drive in Hattiesburg.

Trash collection to resume 

Due to winter weather conditions, Waste Management announced that it would be suspending all garbage and trash collection services for the Pine Belt area on Tuesday.

It plans to resume garbage and trash collection in the Pine Belt area on Wednesday, subject to safety and road conditions permitting.

Waste Management suspends trash pickup:What you need to know in the Pine Belt

MSDH COVID-19 vaccination sites closed

All Mississippi State Department of Health drive-thru vaccination sites are closed Tuesday with the exception of the Coast Coliseum in Harrison County, the agency said Monday.

Monday's appointments had also been canceled because of the winter weather.

The appointments have been automatically rescheduled for the same time on an alternate day.

For details, visit the Mississippi Department of Health website.

State of emergency declared

On Sunday Lt. Gov. Delbert Hoseman signed an executive order in response to hazardous weather and extremely cold weather.

Executive order 1545 states that weather has disrupted the delivery of home heating fuel. Due to the extreme conditions, the order provides exemptions for heating fuel carriers to cut down on wait times for deliveries.

The order expires Feb. 21 at 12 p.m.

Contact reporter Laurel Thrailkill at lthrailkill@gannett.com or 601-402-4843.