Despite a tornado touching down in neighboring Lawrence County, Lincoln County and the rest of Southwest Mississippi could breathe a collective sigh of relief that Christmas Day weather was not worse than it was.

     “We were lucky,” said Civil Defense Director Clifford Galey in assessing Lincoln County’s holiday weather situation.

     Indeed, heavy rains – which overflowed in some low-lying areas – were about the only challenges that Lincoln County faced. The weather likely dampened many a holiday mood, but some weather-related watches and a tornado warning probably went unnoticed by many.

     The situation was not as good in Lawrence County, where an EF-2 tornado touched down in a couple of places along the edges of the Monticello city limits.

     There were several injuries, at least one mobile home was destroyed and more than 10 families were displaced. Still – unlike other parts of the nation that felt Mother Nature’s holiday fury – there was no reported loss of life, and for that we can all be thankful.

     In the storm’s aftermath, Monticello Mayor Dave Nichols hailed his community’s weather alert sirens. One family, he said, got their safe room sealed just as the tornado arrived.

     Having working sirens is another reason that folks in Lawrence County can be thankful. Their value was proven during Tuesday’s bad weather.

     On a related note, Brookhaven and Lincoln County officials could take a cue from our neighbors to the east. The Christmas storm illustrates why city officials’ grant-aided efforts to secure weather sirens here cannot happen too quickly.

     And last but not least, citizens can always be thankful for their neighbors and friends who serve as volunteer emergency responders or work in the utility field. These people, particularly volunteers who do not receive any pay, gave up part of their holiday so that roads and damaged property could be cleared and power restored.

     Tuesday’s weather cast a dark shadow over what is normally the most festive day of the year. The unwelcome visitor made its presence known, but thankfully does not appear to have left any long-lasting ill effects.