TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) -- In February of 1994, a storm system moved into north Mississippi.
It brought conditions that most people around these parts aren't accustomed to seeing.
It was called an ice storm for the history books.
"I had a meeting at lunch and the weather had really begun to deteriorate by then. I came home and I was here for quite some time after that. The ice began to fall. I would walk window to window in the house watching the ice accumulate on the tree branches, and ever so often I'd hear a big pop that sounded like a gunshot," said Highland Circle resident Doyce Deas.
Those noises were the sound of tree branches all over the neighborhood falling with the weight of the snow and ice.
Highland Circle is an area with many trees - especially in Deas' garden.
"It took me weeks to pull all of the branches, big limbs out and try to drag them to the street. We lost power and were without power for five days," said Deas.
Some people in Tupelo were without power for several weeks.
Nonetheless, the scene in a lot of counties in north Mississippi resembled that of a natural disaster.
"I thought I'm in a war-zone almost with all these trees and branches were down - just utter devastation," added Deas.
After the storm blew over, the city was left to deal with powerless homes and downed power lines across the whole town.
But Deas says that if another storm like this came through again, the city of Tupelo would be ready.
"Oh, I hope to goodness that it doesn't happen again. But we have really competent crews in water and light and public works and they're so very efficient. I've watched them in several other emergencies here - coming in and cleaning up. And they've done a commendable job. It just was not as wide spread as this - this was city-wide," said Deas.
Deas added that those living in this part of the state in 1994 won't ever forget the coldest February.
