NATCHEZ — State and local officials are prepared to respond to snow and icy conditions as a winter weather system approaches the Miss-Lou today.

“We have all crews on standby,” Natchez Public Works Justin Dollar said Monday evening. “We have sand and salt on hand and are getting everything prepared.”

The National Weather Service in Jackson issued a Winter Weather Advisory Monday for Southwest Mississippi, including the forecast for light snow this morning into this afternoon.

“A band of light snowfall will enter the area around daybreak at 6 a.m.,” NWS Meteorologist Thomas Winesett said Monday. “Light snow should persist through the day an end in the afternoon.”

Winesett said snowfall accumulations are forecast to be between 1/2-inch to 1-inch.

“It will be light snow, not anything like the heavy snow in early December,” he said.

Winesett said any snow that falls would accumulate on the ground because temperatures will remain below freezing throughout the day today and Wednesday before climbing back into the low 40s Thursday afternoon.

“What does fall will accumulate on roads, bridges and other elevated highways. So, we expect there could be some travel issues.”

Today’s high is forecast to be 29 degrees this morning, Winesett said, and will drop throughout the day to a low of 15 degrees early Wednesday morning.

Adams County Emergency Management Director Robert Bradford said his office would continue to monitor the situation with the National Weather Service and officials with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.

Bradford said he would know more about what to expect after a 4 a.m weather briefing today. At that point, Bradford said he would work with the city, county and local schools to make any decisions about any weather-related schedule changes.

“Right now we are just watching. It is hard to make a determination about how fast it will come in,” Bradford said.

Dollar said Natchez Public Works Crews have salt and sand loaded and ready to place on city bridges and steep roads along the Mississippi River bluff.

Jason Scott with the Mississippi Department of Transportation said  MDOT crews are also prepared with materials to keep roads and bridges safe, including the Mississippi River bridge between Natchez and Vidalia.

“District maintenance crews have trucks and equipment prepared to aid roads affected by the potential winter storm,” Scott said.

The following are schools that have announced school closures or schedule changes Monday evening:

– The Ferriday campus of Central Louisiana Technical Community College announced that its campus will be closed today.

– Natchez High School will be closed today.

– Adams County Christian School will be closed today.

– Trinity Episcopal Day School will be closed today

– Delta Charter School will be closed today.

– Holy Family Early Learning Center will be closed today.

– Cathedral School will postpone the start of school today to 10 a.m.

– The Natchez campus of Copiah-Lincoln Community College will delay the start of classes until 11 a.m. All offices will open at 11 a.m.

– Concordia Parish Schools were already scheduled to be closed today for students for a teacher professional day, but Superintendent Whest Shirley said the professional work day has also been canceled because of the weather.

After the snow moves through the area, Winesett said residents should prepare for bitter cold temperatures and take precautions with exposed pipes.

The temperature should drop to 15 degrees early Wednesday morning and to 17 degrees early Thursday morning.