By Dixon Stone

The Vicksburg Post

Residents of Warren County should prepare for inclement weather starting today through Christmas day.

David Cox of the National Weather Service in Jackson said residents should prepare for extremely severe weather.

“It’s a pretty strong upper level system moving in. We have a cold front and warm front coming through, which is expected to linger, with potential for tornadoes.”

Cox also said residents should prepare for hail and strong winds.

“There will most likely be strong winds that could possibly reach 60 mph or higher, with the threat of golf ball size hail,” said Cox. “Though in previous events there have been strong winds in the atmosphere, this time it is expected to be significantly worse, as the atmosphere is more unstable and unpredictable.”

When asked if the harsh weather was expected to continue through Christmas day, Cox said, “No, storms are not expected to be as severe as Wednesday. They are expected to move through, but the front is predicted to linger through the end of the week. There is a possibility for strong but stable storms on Thursday during the day, but they are expected to clear out by the afternoon.”

Warren County Emergency Management Director John Elfer said to be prepared for a significant storm.

“The forecast has changed a little bit. We are in an elevated threat. People should be paying attention to the forecast,” he said.

On the time frame of the storm, Elfer said it would be during the day.

“It looks like the timing is going to be starting in the morning at around 6 a.m. and ending around 6 p.m. That is the 12 hours where it is most significant.”

Elfer recommends to be cautious throughout the day, and to stay vigilant in case the weather takes a turn for the worst.

“Although it is a day time event, residents should be cautious of the weather as they are finishing up their last minute Christmas shopping. You can’t rule out a tornado, so pay attention, as things could be unpredictable. People need to be able to get notifications, preferably from multiple sources.”

Elfer said a great way to be prepared and to stay informed is to sign up for Code RED alerts, a free service provided by the city to keep citizens aware of possible emergencies.

“Code RED is a great and reliable service. People can give us a call at Emergency Management and we’ll get them set up. We’ll stay here as long as possible to get everyone set up.”

To sign up for Code RED, call Emergency Management at 601-801-3500 or to receive any emergency information call the Emergency Information Line at 601-801-3443.