East Mississippi is expected to see some severe weather on Easter Sunday.

According to Heather Stanley, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson,  the area is expected to see severe thunderstorms starting Saturday evening with Easter Sunday see the biggest impact.

The storm will produce winds up to 70 mph, golf ball-sized hail, heavy rainfall and possible tornadoes.

Stanley said the whole state will be affected by the storm, and people should seek shelter as the state is under a shelter-in-place order.

Stanley said the storm will also bring a cold front, which will bring temperatures down, with a daytime high in the 60s and a low in the 40s on Monday. The temperature should warm up the rest of the week, she said. 

Lauderdale County Emergency Management Director Odie Barrett said his office will monitor the storm and send out weather alerts to residents. Barrett advised residents to find a safe space in their home during the storm. 

The Mississippi State University Extension Office, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi State Department of Health said a potential tornado poses the most immediate threat during a pandemic. 

Anne Howard Hilbun-Benoit, an instructor with the MSU Extension Center for Government and Community Development, stressed making the best possible decisions on sheltering depending on options.

“Now is the time to begin taking precautions, whether you and your family typically shelter from a tornado in your home or go to a community shelter,” she said in a news release. “If the latter is your best option, call well ahead of time to verify its availability. Some cities may mandate that you have some sort of face covering, so ask for any additional best practices at the shelter location you plan on using.”

MEMA Director of External Affairs Malary White recommended anyone using a public storm shelter to practice social distancing to the best of their abilities.

“For mobile home residents, you should abandon the mobile home in favor of a sturdy building during severe weather,” she said. “This alternative structure should be a part of a severe weather plan that is identified well in advance. If you’re at home, take shelter in a closet, bathroom, interior hallway or other interior room with no windows on the lowest level of the house or building.”

In any instance of severe weather preparation, make sure to have more than one way to receive emergency notifications.

“Always follow the advice of your local meteorologists and local news media outlets for updates and additional information regarding severe weather,” Hilbun-Benoit said.