The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency urges residents to prepare for dangerously cold wind chills Thursday night. The National Weather Service forecast calls for low temperatures in the teens with winds chills in the single digits for most of the state through Friday morning.

Low temperatures Thursday night in the Brookhaven area are forecast for 15 to 20 degrees. Factoring in north winds of 10-to-15 miles per hour results in a wind chill reading of 5 to 10.

Friday will likely see highs in the mid-30s in the area, followed by lows in the mid-20s. A warming trend is predicted for Saturday with highs in the lower 50s.

MEMA also reported there is the possibility of light snow/flurries in the central and western part of the state with the chance for up to a half inch of accumulation on grassy areas in the southwest corner.

Residents should prepare for the possibility of problems with pipes that are not fully insulated or at risk to burst, and some threat for exposure and hypothermia for those who do not have proper warm clothing.

“This is some of the coldest air we’ve seen this year and some of the areas in our state that will see the coldest temperatures do not see these frigid temperatures on a regular basis,” said MEMA Director Robert Latham. “Our citizens need to take the proper precautions and please be sure to check on your family, friends and neighbors.”