Thousands in Mississippi Still Without Power After Winter Storm

Utility crews work to restore electricity to rural areas hit hardest by ice and downed trees.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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Thousands of homes in Mississippi remained without power two weeks after a severe winter storm swept through the state, knocking out electricity to over 28,000 customers. The hardest-hit areas were in rural Lafayette County and the town of Oxford, where downed trees and power lines continued to pose challenges for utility crews. Local officials said the cleanup process would likely take months, and some residents were expected to be without power for at least another week.

Why it matters

The prolonged power outages have highlighted the vulnerabilities of the region's electrical grid and the difficulties in restoring service to more remote, rural areas. The storm's impact has disrupted daily life for thousands, especially as students returned to the University of Mississippi in Oxford.

The details

The winter storm initially knocked out power to 10 times as many people across the region, but utility crews have since restored electricity to the majority of customers. However, around 15,000 customers, mostly in rural areas, remain without power as of Saturday. Beau Moore, an emergency management officer for Lafayette County, said the damage was akin to a 700-mile-wide EF1 or EF2 tornado hitting the county all at once, with downed trees and power lines posing ongoing challenges for restoration efforts.

  • The winter storm hit northern Mississippi two weeks ago, on January 24, 2026.
  • As of Saturday, February 7, 2026, around 15,000 customers remained without power.
  • Mayor Robyn Tannehill of Oxford said the city still faced a long road to recovery, with some residents expected to be without power for at least another week.

The players

North East Mississippi Electric Power Association

The regional utility provider that supplies power to Lafayette County, where thousands of customers remain without electricity.

Beau Moore

An emergency management officer for Lafayette County, who compared the storm's impact to a 700-mile-wide tornado.

Robyn Tannehill

The mayor of Oxford, who said the city still faced a long recovery process with some residents without power for at least another week.

Tate Reeves

The governor of Mississippi, who requested a major disaster declaration from the White House to aid in the recovery efforts.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, who approved the major disaster declaration for Mississippi.

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What they’re saying

“This impact we've had from trees for the power companies, the utilities, is like if an EF1, EF2 tornado was 700 miles wide and hit the county all at one time.”

— Beau Moore, Emergency management officer, Lafayette County (The New York Times)

“We are a long way from back. We still have citizens with no power. We have houses with trees through the roof and yards buried in trees. But it does feel like the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned back on.”

— Robyn Tannehill, Mayor, Oxford (The New York Times)

What’s next

President Trump's approval of a major disaster declaration for Mississippi will make $39 million in federal aid available to support local governments' cleanup efforts. Utility crews are expected to make significant progress in restoring power over the weekend and into early next week as the weather improves.

The takeaway

The prolonged power outages in rural Mississippi following the winter storm highlight the ongoing challenges in maintaining a resilient electrical grid, especially in remote areas. The storm's impact has disrupted daily life for thousands, underscoring the need for better preparedness and investment in infrastructure to withstand extreme weather events.