By By Chris Allen Baker/The Meridian Star
Dec. 31, 2001
As Mississippians make New Year's celebration plans, weather forecasters are predicting a better than average chance the year 2002 could be greeted by anything from snow flurries to a winter storm.
Whatever Mississippi gets is likely to arrive late on New Year's Day, forecasters said. An advisory issued early today said a winter storm watch or warning is possible for the middle of the week.
A weather system producing snow flurries was moving east toward Mississippi, said Douglas Butts, a National Weather Service forecaster.
If moisture accumulates into the weather patterns in place or predicted to occur, Butts said there will be a 40 percent chance of snow late Tuesday  increasing to 60 percent chance Wednesday.
Butts said computer weather models were showing a mixture of snow and sleet in Louisiana that could move into southwest Mississippi on Tuesday and gradually move into northeast Mississippi  perhaps even the Meridian area late Tuesday and into Wednesday.
The advisory said Mississippi could see a winter storm watch or warning that could include a combination of different winter-type elements, such as freezing rain, sleet or snow, Butts said.
Chris Allen Baker is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call him at 693-1551.