Dallas-based Compass Datacenters, a multinational data center developer, is locating its next hyperscale data center campus in Meridian, according to Gov. Tate Reeves, who announced the project at the Mississippi Economic Council’s Capital Day Thursday.

The campus will consist of eight data centers that will be constructed over an eight-year period.Upon occupancy, Compass Datacenters’ campus will represent an investment of $10 billion, including future tenants’ information technology equipment. The campus also will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs. Compass Datacenters builds single-tenant, hyperscale data center campuses. The large-scale campuses built by Compass are designed to last for more than 100 years and create economies of scale to support local businesses and jobs.

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Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance for site preparation. MDA also will certify Compass Datacenters as a data center operator, which will provide the company with 10-year state income and franchise tax exemptions, as well as a sales and use tax exemption on construction materials, equipment and software and hardware replacements.

The city of Meridian, Lauderdale County, and electrical utility provider Mississippi Power Company also are assisting with the project. Mississippi Power will supply approximately 500 megawatts of power to the facility. 

Ross Reily is a writer for the Clarion Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter @GreenOkra1.

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – The Mississippi State Department of Health held its first meeting of 2025 on Wednesday, during which it also announced an achievement.

At the state board meeting, the department discussed scheduled items on the agenda and heard from MSDH State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney.

Edney briefed the state board on current health concerns such as a nationwide increase in cases of pertussis.

Edney also briefed the board on legislative priorities for the upcoming year.

And after an 18-month process, the Mississippi State Department of Health has officially achieved full reaccreditation status.

Edney expressed his gratitude to the MSDH staff and others in attendance.

“The fact that our hard work does not go unrecognized and objectively measured evidence is very important to me,” said Edney.

According to Edney, the reaccreditation status is objective evidence that MSDH is confident in what they do and more than confident that they excel in what they do.

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A winter storm system is set to sweep across the southern U.S. this week and is expected to bring snow and some ice and wintry mix to states along the Gulf coast.

The storm is set to start in Texas on Wednesday night and move toward the eastern seaboard. Parts of the South will get 4 to 8 inches of snow. The National Weather Service expects several inches of snow in the Dallas area, and the weather system will move northeast through the weekend. Nashville and Atlanta also could see hazardous conditions.

The southeast has already been feeling the effects of Arctic air that moved in a few days ago, and the storm is expected to delay travel including affecting road conditions in areas not accustomed to heavy snow and potentially affecting airports.

Parts of Mississippi could see freezing temperatures and some snow, though previous forecasts calling for wintery weather in most of the state have been updated. The latest forecasts look like central and north Mississippi will have the strongest chances for snow, sleet and freezing temperatures.

What will the winter storm bring to Mississippi?

The AccuWeather and National Weather Service forecasts for the Jackson region through Friday have some slight differences. The biggest one is that while AccuWeather calls for a 25% chance of precipitation Thursday and a 99% chance with cold rain on Friday, the NWS says rain and sleet are likely Thursday night with a strong chance of showers on Friday.

Northern areas of the Magnolia State are under a winter storm watch Thursday and Friday. The NWS is predicting rain and snow chances in Greenwood, Oxford and Columbus/West Point/Starkville starting after midnight Thursday night and through Friday evening.

The Hattiesburg forecast now calls for showers Thursday night through Friday night. The overnight low Thursday is 35 degrees. Friday weather has a high of 46 and a low of 31.

The NWS New Orleans office issued a freeze warning Wednesday night for Gulfport. That area is set to get rain Thursday and Friday, but temperatures are expected to stay above freezing.

How should I prepare for extreme cold, winter weather?

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency encourages residents to be ready for winter weather. Extreme cold, snow and ice can lead to power outages and make travel conditions dangerous.

Have non-perishable food and bottled water on hand. (If you have electric appliances, plan meals that can be eaten without using the stove or oven.) Make sure you have enough winter clothing and blankets to stay warm if power goes out. Keep your cellphone charged and have flashlights ready.

Keep an emergency supply kit in vehicles. Be prepared if you have to drive in icy road conditions. (If you hit black ice while driving, take your foot off the pedals and steer into the skid.)

Bring pets inside and make sure animals that can’t be brought in have access to lots of food and water that isn’t frozen.

Check on elderly relatives, friends and neighbors.

7-day Jackson weather forecast

According to AccuWeather, as of Jan. 8, the Jackson area can expect the following for the next week:

• Jan. 8: High 43°F, low 24°F.
• Jan. 9: High 43°F, low 35°F.
• Jan. 10: High 39°F, low 30°F, 99% chance of precipitation with cold rain.
• Jan. 11: High 44°F, low 26°F.
• Jan. 12: High 55°F, low 32°F.
• Jan. 13: High 52°F, low 29°F.
• Jan. 14: High 50°F, low 31°F.
• Jan. 15: High 52°F, low 28°F.

In the National Weather Service forecast, Mississippi is expected to have below-average temperatures and precipitation Jan. 13-17. From Jan. 15-21, temperatures are expected to stay below average while rain changes will be about average.

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Mississippi weather radar

January average temperatures in Mississippi

These are the average temperatures for the Jackson, Hattiesburg, Tupelo and Gulfport areas for 2020-24, according to data from the National Weather Service.

Jackson

• 2020: 50.9°F.
• 2021: 48°F.
• 2022: 45.4°F.
• 2023: 53.8°F.
• 2024: 44.5°F.

Hattiesburg

• 2020: 52.6°F.
• 2021: 49.7°F.
• 2022: 47.5°F.
• 2023: 55.8°F.
• 2024: 48.2°F.

Tupelo

• 2020: 48.6°F.
• 2021: 45.1°F.
• 2022: 42°F.
• 2023: 50.6°F.
• 2024: 39.5°F.

Gulfport

• 2020: 55.3°F.
• 2021: 51.7°F.
• 2022: 49.4°F.
• 2023: 58.2°F.
• 2024: 51.2°F.

What are the next winter storm names for 2025?

The Weather Channel names winter storms based on scale. So far the 2024-25 season already has seen Anya and Blair. They do not name “pure arctic cold outbreaks.”

Other planned names are:

• Cora.
• Demi.
• Enzo.
• Freya.
• Garnett.
• Harlow.
• Iliana.
• Jett.
• Kingston.
• Lola.
• Marisol.
• Nyla.
• Omari.
• Pascale.
• Quentin.
• Roman.
• Spencer.
• Theo.
• Usman.
• Vincenzo.
• Wilhelm.
• Xia.
• Ygenny.
• Zahir.

Contributing: Christopher Cann and Doyle Rice

Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.