With the city of Greenwood and Leflore County under an ice storm warning, officials were preparing for the worst this morning.
Greenwood and Leflore County schools, Pillow Academy, North New Summit School and Carroll Academy remained open today. Carroll County schools were closed.
Daniel Lamb, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson, said Humphreys and Sharkey counties also werebunder the ice storm warning. Carroll, Grenada, Holmes and Yazoo counties were under a freezing rain advisory.
Lamb said both the ice storm and freezing rain advisories mean varying amounts of ice will accumulate, particularly on elevated surfaces such as bridges and overpasses.
Leflore County Chancery Clerk Sam Abraham said the forecast was a concern.
“We’ve worked all weekend with the flooding situation. We’ve closed certain roads that have water over them,” he said. “Now, with the icing conditions, we’ve loaded trucks with sand and rocks to put on bridges.”
Susan Bailey, director of the Greenwood Public Works Department, said she was monitoring developments hourly. She said city crews would be ready as needed.
There is a 60 percent chance of rain tonight and an 80 percent chance Tuesday. Rain is expected to taper off by Wednesday, Lamb said.
The expected freezing temperatures tonight will make traveling on roadways treacherous, and freezing rain also poses a threat to tree limbs and power lines, Lamb said.
Larry Griggs, vice president of operations at Greenwood Utilities, said crews were ready. Many of them have experience with ice storms.
