MDOT warns drivers of severe icing, road hazards across 28 Mississippi counties

JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi Department of Transportation said at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, that motorists should avoid major stretches of I-55 and I-22 because of severe icing and extreme congestion.

MDOT said both directions of I-55 from the Mississippi state line to north of Yalobusha are experiencing heavy icing and extreme congestion. In Yalobusha County on I-55, the agency reported fallen trees, downed power lines and other storm debris creating additional hazards.

The agency also reported severe icing and extreme congestion on I-22 from the Mississippi state line to Potts Camp at the Marshall-Benton county line. MDOT said ice has been reported on roads and bridges in 28 counties: Alcorn, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Coahoma, DeSoto, Grenada, Humphreys, Issaquena, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Marshall, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Washington, Yalobusha and Yazoo.

MDOT, the state agency responsible for construction and maintenance of Mississippi roadways, urged residents to stay off affected roadways for their safety. The agency said motorists can get current road conditions from the MDOT Traffic app or at MDOTtraffic.com. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.