By Nita McCann

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — Those who watch the weather have a message for the Miss-Lou: Be careful on the road.

The low temperature this morning was set to dip to 28 degrees, said Stephen Wilkinson, warning coordinator for NWS’ Jackson office.

“The average high (temp) in Mississippi for this date is 65 degrees, so we’re a good 30 degrees colder than normal,” Wilkinson said.

Rain was forecast for Natchez Monday night, “starting before the temperatures hit freezing,” Wilkinson said.

“Then, when you reach freezing or below, that precipitation will freeze on the roads,” by this morning, he said.

Since it’s not always possible to see ice on roads and bridges, the best policy is to stay put, Wilkinson said.

Robbie Dollar, road manager for Adams County, said his workers were busy Monday dumping sand on bridges and on roads with steep inclines.

“We’ve got to do that to 72 bridges throughout the county, like we do any time there’s ice in the forecast,” Dollar said.

Dollar noted that his crews typically would work from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“But there are situations where we had to work through the night, and we’re prepared to that if necessary,” Dollar said.

According to information from Entergy, that utility company is posting trucks throughout Mississippi, including Natchez.

The main issue in Adams County will be overnight freezing rain.

“We’ll be watching the weather closely,” said Robert Bradford, civil defense director for Adams County, following a telephone briefing Monday morning with the NWS.

That agency was expecting freezing rain starting at about 6 p.m. Monday through this morning, he said.

Steven Richardson, press contact for the Natchez-Adams School District, said that as of Monday morning their schools do not intend to close today.

“But when and if the superintendant decides to make that call, we will publicize it,” Richardson said.

Wilkinson said there’s a silver lining to all this.

“We will start warming up (today),” he said. “It may get up to 41 degrees.”