Santa had better wear his thermals to Mississippi this week, because an arctic cold front arriving ahead of him will plunge temperatures into the single digits Thursday night and make for a subfreezing Christmas Eve.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory and a Wind Chill Advisory.
The Winter Weather Advisory issued effective noon Thursday and remains in effect until 6 a.m. Friday in Calhoun, Chicksaw, Coahoma, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Monroe, Panola, Pontotoc, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Union and Yalobusha counties.
Some snowfall is possible, with total snow accumulations less than one inch. Winds may gust to as high as 40 mph, which might impact visibility.
According to NWS, "Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. Flash freezes may occur as cold air quickly builds in over wet ground. This may result in hazardous travel conditions. Reduced visibilities will also be possible. Travel is strongly discouraged."
The Wind Chill Advisory is in effect from 6 p.m. Thursday until noon on Friday. Very cold wind chills of 10 below zero to 15 below zero are expected. The advisory may be extended into Friday night, NWS noted.
Temperatures late Thursday afternoon will nosedive from a high of 48 to a low of 5.
Friday’s high will be about 18 and the low around 9.
On Christmas Eve, a daytime high of 25 will be met with a nighttime low of 14.
On Christmas Day, Dec. 25, the mercury will remain below the freezing mark at 29. The low will retreat to 16.
By Monday, the high is forecast to reach 35, with the low about 22.
For the latest weather updates and cold-weather advice, visit the National Weather Service Memphis website.
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The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency suggests the following tips for people to protect themselves from freezing temperatures:
» Wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. The outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent if going outdoors.
» Wear mittens, which are warmer than gloves.
» Wear a hat, as body heat is lost through the head.
» Know ahead of time what to do to help elderly or disabled friends or neighbors.
» Bring pets inside. If you cannot bring pets inside, provide them with a warm shelter that has a solid floor, three sides and a flap door covering. Give your pet extra food and fresh water that isn’t frozen.
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In separate news releases, Entergy and Atmos Energy offered the following advice:
» Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible. Constant traffic will let out warm air, forcing your heater to work harder to keep the room at the set temperature.
» Never use an oven or gas stovetop to heat your home.
» Minimize the risk of frozen pipes by leaving faucets running at a trickle and keeping cabinet doors open beneath the kitchen and bathroom sinks. This allows for a natural flow of warmer air around exposed plumbing.
» Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. Leaving the damper open is like keeping a window wide open, as warm air goes right up the chimney.
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If you experience a cold-weather emergency, dial 911.
