By John Howell Sr.

The Panola County Office of Emergency Management was monitoring the weekend weather forecast in conjunction with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, local schools and other law enforcement in preparation for weekend weather.

But Panola Emergency Management Director Daniel Cole said it was more from an abundance of caution.

“Right not, they’re kind of downplaying it for us,” Cole said of the weather forecast as of Thursday afternoon.

Electric power companies were also mobilizing contingency plans.

“Entergy Mississippi crews will leave for north Mississippi this morning from across the state in anticipation of a major winter storm,” Entergy spokesman George Payne Cossar said in a statement released Thursday morning.

“We are in contact with our statewide department in Ridgeland to ensure we have adequate assistance from neighboring Co-ops in case of extreme trouble,” Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association Assistant General Manager Marlin Williams said.