Ice storm triggers shelter-in-place order for Oxford, Mississippi
An ice storm brought dangerous conditions to northern Mississippi over the weekend, prompting authorities in Oxford to issue a shelter-in-place order on January 25, 2026. The storm caused extensive damage and left at least one person dead elsewhere in the state.
Ice covered tree branches in Oxford, Mississippi, on January 25, 2026. Credit: City of Oxford
Ice storms left behind significant damage across Mississippi over the weekend as a major winter storm swept across the country. Trees and lines were downed across the state as ice accumulations reached up to 2.5 cm (1 inch) in some areas.
13 mm (0.5 inches) of freezing rain was recorded in Yalobusha County, while multiple other counties reported 6 mm (0.25 inches) or more, according to the National Weather Service (NWS. Meanwhile, Quitman County reported 14 cm (5.5 inches) of sleet, while Tate County reported 13.5 cm (5.3 inches) through the weekend.
Snowfall totals in Tipton County reached 14 cm (5.5 inches), while Gibson County reported 13 cm (5 inches) and Obion County 11 cm (4.5 inches) by January 25.
Governor Tate Reeves had declared a State of Emergency, effective until January 27, to speed up funding for recovery efforts.
A Tishomingo County man aged 73 died after a tree collapsed under the weight of ice on top of his mobile home west of Iuka, according to coroner Mack Wilemon.
The tree fell onto the room where the man was sleeping, pinning him beneath a large limb and exposing him to freezing temperatures. He was found deceased at around 11:00 local time (LT) by a cousin during a welfare check.
More than 24 000 residents lost power across Oxford (population 27 000) on January 25, where ice accumulation of around 25 mm (1 inch) coated trees and power infrastructure, causing widespread damage and leaving most roads impassable.
The North East Mississippi Electric Power Association and Oxford Utilities reported nearly complete outages across the city and Lafayette County by early morning. Utility crews were forced to halt restoration work as falling trees and power lines created unsafe conditions.
Officials issued a shelter-in-place order shortly after sunrise, warning that travel was extremely hazardous and emergency access was limited. Residents were urged to remain indoors, avoid driving, and treat all downed lines as live. Several government buildings, including the municipal court, environmental services, and driver service bureaus, were closed, and first responders prioritized life-safety calls only.
Over 180 000 customers across Mississippi were without power at the height of the storm, while over 150 000 customers remained without power as of January 26.
Universities across the state have announced closures, while others have scheduled remote learning.
Driver service bureaus in multiple locations were closed on January 26. These include bureaus in Batesville, Canton, Cleveland, Columbus, Corinth, Greenville, Greenwood, Grenada, Jackson, Kosciusko, Meridian, Nesbit, New Albany, Newton, Olive Branch, Oxford, Pearl, Philadelphia, Richland, Starkville, Tupelo, and Vicksburg.
Meanwhile, bureaus at Biloxi, Brookhaven, Gautier, Gulfport-Airport, Hattiesburg, Hattiesburg West, Laurel, Kiln, Natchez, and Picayune will have a delayed opening at 10:00 (LT), announced the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.
The ice storm was associated with a major winter storm that swept across the eastern United States from January 23 to 26, claiming at least 24 lives across 14 states. Around 13 000 flights were reportedly cancelled as the storm left over a million customers without power across the country.
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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