Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced Thursday he was declaring a state of emergency ahead of a massive approaching winter storm that is threatening to blanket much of the eastern half of the country in ice, snow or both. 

“The state of Mississippi has deployed generators, pallets of water, roof tarps, blankets, pillows, and cots to counties that have requested them. Warming shelters are also being opened by counties,” Reeves said on his Facebook page. The state of emergency will be effective through at least Jan. 27. 

The National Weather Service in Jackson projects that Mississippi is most at risk of ice and freezing temperatures. The brunt of the storm is expected to arrive in the northern half of the state from Friday afternoon into the late evening. The storm will move progressively south beginning on Saturday into Sunday morning, but extremely cold temperatures may linger in the entire state into early next week.

Counties have begun reporting warming shelter and safe room schedules to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency’s website. The agency recommends people have home access to a fully stocked emergency supply kit, non-perishable food, water, flash lights, first-aid kits and extra blankets. Travel is not recommended on icy or snowy roads. More recommendations are available on the agency’s news page.

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Assistant Editor Kevin Edwards joins the MFP after spending more than six years in newspapers around Mississippi. A native of El Paso, Texas, Kevin moved to Cleveland in Bolivar County when he was 10 years old and has spent most of his life in the Mississippi Delta. He graduated from Delta State University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in liberal studies, as well as a master’s in journalism from the University of Memphis. Following his education, he spent a year with the Birmingham, Alabama-based nonprofit Impact America in its Memphis office as an AmeriCorps member, providing free vision screenings to young children and free tax preparation for working families. His time as a reporter includes nearly four years with The Greenwood Commonwealth in Greenwood, as well as The Bolivar Commercial in Cleveland and The Commercial Dispatch in Columbus. Kevin lives in Sidon, just outside Greenwood city limits in Leflore County.