Winter Storm Cora was relatively kind to Batesville and Panola County — at least as kind as a winter storm can be.

The storm arrived late Thursday night, beginning with sleet and freezing rain before transitioning to snow early Friday morning. By 6 a.m., residents observed an average snowfall of about 3 inches. Some areas of the county received closer to 4 inches, while others saw around 2.5 inches.

Cora’s timing proved fortunate, as she arrived on a Friday, granting many people an unexpected three-day weekend. Local schoolchildren were especially thrilled since all county schools were closed for the day.

Both the county’s Emergency Management Operations office and the city’s Public Utilities office reported minimum disruptions of service other than minor leaks. Pre-treatment of major roads with a brine mixture also helped, workers said.

Power outages were minimal around the county, and by Saturday evening traffic was almost back to normal even on most secondary roads.