Miss-Lou residents missed having a white Christmas, but a white New Year’s Day may be a belated gift from Mother Nature.

In the last two weeks, two major winter storms came close to the Miss-Lou.

Both times, however, the area ended up with just rain.

No snow. No sleet. And, fortunately, no ice and freezing rain.

All the wintry precipitation ended up in Arkansas, north Louisiana and north Mississippi.

However, the third time may be the charm for the Miss-Lou.

And, appropriately, it will occur as residents celebrate the new year.

&uot;I would love to see a white New Year’s Day,&uot; said George Souderes, Adams County Civil Defense Director. &uot;As long as we don’t have freezing rain. If it just snows, it would be perfect.&uot;

Meteorologist Doug Cramer of the National Weather Service’s office in Jackson said Wednesday that Natchez will have a chance of snow showers on Sunday, New Year’s Eve, with a low in the mid-20s and a high in the upper 30s.

&uot;(The temperatures) are going to come down to when the snow comes in,&uot; Cramer said. &uot;If it’s below freezing, and it’s snowing the road conditions can be very hazardous.&uot;

Cramer said the forecast for Monday calls for dry and very cold weather with the low temperature in the teens and high near 30.

Souderes said the Weather Service is calling for variable clouds with a chance of rain or snow showers both days with the high temperature on New Year’s Eve to be between 40 and 45 degrees and the low to be in the 20s and the high on New Year’s Day to be in the 30s and the low to be in the 20s.

The Weather Channel, which gives a broader view, is predicting a light wintry mix on New Year’s Eve with a low in the 20s and a high in the low- to mid-30s and possible snow showers New Year’s Eve night into early New Year’s Day morning before leaving the Miss-Lou area with a high on New Year’s Day in the upper-20s.