Officials: Stay off roads
So far this year, Oxford has seen its fourth snowiest winter ever, according to Marlene Mickelson, hydrometeorological technician with the NWS. The record is 20 inches of snow from December to February in 1985-86.
Wednesday’s 5 inches of snow shut down schools in Oxford and Lafayette County. Freezing temperatures caused roads to be covered in ice. Officials don’t expect the roads to improve much throughout the day. (February 10, 2011, Page 1)
Keep safe, warm in big chill
With 8 inches of snow in Lafayette County, many children, and even adults, spent their day Monday playing in the snow, followed by getting warm by a fireplace or space heater.
Fortunately, their memories will remain good ones.
A National Fire Protection Association report shows 73 percent of home heating fire deaths can be attributed to space heaters and other alternate heating sources. (January 11, 2011, Page 1)
Oxford spared icy roads
With dozens of schools closing in neighboring north Mississippi counties due to icy roadways and two weather-related deaths reported this morning, Lafayette County was spared the worst of the dangerous wintry mix this morning. Lafayette County Road Manager Jerry Haynie and his road crew took to the roads at 5 this morning checking for icy accumulations on county roads.
The temperature hung around 32 degrees this morning, causing some icy patches to form on local roads, but not enough to cause traffic problems in Oxford and Lafayette County. The Mississippi Department of Transportation noted bridges in Lafayette County were starting to ice over at 7 this morning on its website, wwwgomdot.com. (December 15, 2010, Page 1A)
