BROOKHAVEN — Customers in Lincoln County are starting to report power outages as winds start to pick up in sustained speeds between 20 to 25 mph and with gusts as high as 40 mph. The power outages are being reported on the forefront of severe weather threats including damaging winds, hail and tornadoes.

NWS Jackson warned Lincoln County will likely see these severe weather threats between 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday. Damaging wind gusts could reach 70 mph with hail up to quarter size and tornadoes likely, some possibly strong, all threaten the area. NWS Jackson warned the greatest tornado threat would be along the US84 corridor and just south of the US84 corridor in its forecast discussion.

As of 12:20 p.m., Entergy reports 5,145 customers are without power across the state with 116 of those customers in Lincoln County, 142 customers in Franklin County and 347 customers in Copiah County.

Magnolia Electric reports 608 customers are without power in southwest Mississippi. Of the 608 customers without power, 590 of them are in Amite County. No customers in Lincoln County are without power.

Southwest Electric reports 726 customers without power in southwest Mississippi. Of the 726 customers, 31 customers are without power in Lincoln County, 54 customers are without power in Jefferson County, 138 customers without power in Franklin County and 9o customers in Copiah County are without power.

Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency announced the safe room would open as a storm shelter until the weather threat has passed. The safe room is located at 1154 Beltline Drive.

Check back for more updates on the weather before, during and after storms threaten our area.