Winter has finally come to Newton County as the National Weather Service predicts up to 3-inches of possible snow fall Monday night and Tuesday.
Janae Elkins, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Jackson said the county is under a cold weather advisory that willl bring precipitation and well-below freezing temperatures to the area for several days.
“What that means is a strong cold front will combine with another storm system to bring winter weather,” she said.
While forecasters are watching the storm system carefully, Elkins said current models show Newton County will see between 1-3 inches of winter precipitation, or snow.
“The dangers with that are mainly on the roads as they become covered,” Elkins said. “It can be slippery and hard to see where you’re going.”
With the snow, temperatures will plumet to below freezing, Elkins said. When factoring in the wind chill, she said residents can expect conditions to be in the “tens and teens” until the storm system moves out of the area.
The cold weather will pose a double threat as below-freezing temperatures will create ideal conditions for the snow to stick around.
“It is likely we’ll have some accumulation,” Elkins said.
Currently, models show the storm hitting Newton County between midnight at 6 a.m., but that may change as updated information becomes available. Elkins said forecasters will continue to monitor the situation and release updated forecasts throughout the next few days.
As of yet, no school closures have been announced. Union Public School District and Newton County School District both posted on social media Monday stating administration was aware of the pending storm and would make an announcement later via social media and parent-school messaging platforms.
Mississippi Department of Human Services announced Monday afternoon it would be delaying opening times at county offices Tuesday due to the potential winter storm. MDHS offices will open at 10 a.m. Tuesday instead of the normal 8 a.m. start time
