Overnight, the Deep South experienced freezing temps, but the freeze is not over yet. The National Weather Service forecasts the low temperatures will continue through today in Pearl River County. Before the temperatures hit those lows, county residents like Julie and Richard Lenardson took the proactive approach to beat the cold.

Before the temperature hit freezing Wednesday night, the Lenardson’s took advantage of the nice weather earlier that afternoon, and cut down a large tree on their front yard.

The Lenardson’s have lived in Windy Acres Road in Picayune for more than two years and have gone through a freeze before so they were already prepared for the icy weather.

“We brought in porch plants, and put them in the well house where the heater is,” Julie said. Richard added that they also covered all of their home’s exposed water lines.

They also said they plan to stay indoors as much as possible.

“And if there’s any precipitation, we’ll be inside too. I’m not going to go out if the roads are icy,” Julie said.

A recent press release from MEMA offered several tips to stay warm and safe during this time.

• Wear mittens and hats to keep warm.
• Wear several layers of warm clothes.
• Look out for any signs of hypothermia, which include memory loss, shivering, exhaustion, and disorientation.
• Don’t leave pets outdoors.
• For households, keep fire extinguishers close by, insulate pipes with insulation or newspapers, install storm windows or cover windows with plastic, and be prepared to shut off water valves, in case pipes burst.
• For vehicles, check the antifreeze levels, ensure regular lights and hazard lights are working properly, as well as brakes, and make sure the heater and defroster are functional.