Will Stripling

Oxford, Mississippi is known as a vibrant college town, but much of the area is currently quiet and isolated, with ice-covered roads, fallen trees, and downed power lines.

University of Mississippi assistant professor Summer Hill Vinson was in the area when it was hit by a major ice storm in 1994.

She says this storm brought back old fears and memories.

The University of Mississippi says the campus will remain closed through next Sunday.

National Guard troops are now arriving in Oxford to assist with logistics and recovery.

For NPR News, I'm Will Stripling in Jackson.