Mississippi faces its worst ice storm in over three decades, leaving more than 150,000 residents without power as officials warn recovery could take a week or more in freezing temperatures.

Widespread Destruction Across the State

The weekend winter storm devastated a band stretching from eastern Texas through north Louisiana, Mississippi, and into Nashville, Tennessee. In Mississippi’s northeast corner, residents like Adrian Ronca-Hohn described scenes resembling a war zone, with approximately 40 trees toppling around his Iuka property. The 23-year-old football coach said falling trees created constant sounds like gunshots throughout the night, making sleep impossible as branches crashed and exploded upon impact.

At Alcorn County Electric Power Association in Corinth, all 19,000 customers remained without electricity Monday afternoon. General Manager Sean McGrath explained that the cooperative cannot fully assess damage until the Tennessee Valley Authority restores power to substations. TVA spokesperson Scott Brooks reported progress restoring connections to Tennessee utilities while continuing work on Mississippi connections.

Residents Face Life-Threatening Conditions

In Vicksburg, Jamita Washington spent two days wrapped in blankets, able to see her breath inside her home shared with her 20-year-old son and small dog. She warmed herself in her car before returning to the freezing house, ultimately deciding to seek hotel accommodation as temperatures remained dangerously low. Jackson Mills and his family found refuge at his grandfather’s Corinth home with a gas fireplace, traveling to Tennessee to purchase generator fuel.

Emergency Response and Recovery Efforts

Governor Tate Reeves announced the deployment of 500 National Guard soldiers by Wednesday to remove debris and manage traffic control. The state operates 61 shelters and warming centers across 30 counties while doubling federal generator requests from 30 to 60 units. The University of Mississippi canceled classes for the entire week, raising concerns about 20,000 students on campus. Tippah County faces particularly severe conditions with power, water, and natural gas services all disrupted, creating what State Representative Jody Steverson calls life-threatening situations in one of America’s poorest states.