NEWS

Mississippi braces for arctic blast; shelters opening

Therese Apel
The Clarion-Ledger

By Wednesday, an arctic front that will feel like the temperatures are in single digits will fall upon the state.

Area residents are used to it getting cold this time of year, but wind chills around seven or eight degrees are no fun for anyone.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Eric Carpenter said as the arctic air mass moves in, the lows should be in the teens on Wednesday night, with wind chill readings below 10 degrees. By the end of the week, there’s even a chance for freezing precipitation.

“There might be some chance for a little bit of sleet. We don’t see anything major, but we’re keeping an eye on it,” Carpenter said.

The record low temperature for Thursday is 10 degrees, Carpenter said.

“I don’t think we’ll get that cold,” he said.

Meanwhile, shelters across the city are making preparations to bring people in off the street during the freezing temperatures. At Matt’s House on Adelle Street, director Jackie Jones said they’ve made preparations to bring in additional women and their children who might need shelter from the weather.

“We’re prepared, we have working heaters, and that’s a blessing,” Jones said. “We’ve got food, water, everything that’s needed.”

Matt’s House is open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Jones said during the day the Opportunity Center Shelter is open, and the Salvation Army’s beds usually fill up quickly but they still help bring as many people as possible out of the cold.

“We’re already stocked, we have plenty of water, and we’re praying that the pipes doen’t freeze,” Jones said.

Some Mississippians are working to weatherproof their homes and businesses as the mercury drops. Chad Thompson, who lives in rural Copiah County, said his pipes burst a few years ago.

“I went out and wrapped them with newspaper and plastic and duct tape last night,” he said. “I’m not taking that chance again.”

Dinki Davis of Brookhaven has shelters for her pets that she calls Kitty Bliss and Puppy Haven. She also tries to put out food and shelter for homeless animals.

“Like always I'm getting extra heat lamps, heaters and blankets for Kitty Bliss and Puppy Haven,” she said. “I always feed them extra when the temperatures are lower than normal as well. It doesn't hurt if you know where there are strays that haven't been caught and taken to a shelter to put food and some type of shelter out for them.”

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency encourages Mississippians to prepare their homes and vehicles as the winter weather moves in. Winterization can extend the life of fuel supplies by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows and installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic, according to the MEMA website.

A 2010 National Fire Protection Association report shows the leading factor contributing to ignition for home heating fire deaths was heating equipment too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattresses, or bedding. Home heating fires peak during 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and associated deaths peak during 2:00 to 4:00 a.m.

Proper spacing around heaters, using heaters with automatic shutoff, and using proper fuel are among suggestions from the State Fire Marshal’s office for staying safe during weather that tends to bring a much higher house fire rate due to poor heating practices. Every home should have a working smoke alarm as well, officials said.

A lot of cold weather safety is about common sense, Carpenter said.

“Bundle up, dress in layers, cover exposed flesh, especially your ears and hands, wear a hat,” said Carpenter. “Protect your pipes and make sure your pets are okay.”

Contact Therese Apel at tapel@gannett.com or (601) 961-7236. Follow @TRex21 on Twitter.