Mississippi Cities and Towns
The Magnolia State  20th State

Climate & Weather:

Mississippi has hot, humid summers and relatively mild winters. Winter temperatures run 31 to 60 F/-1 to 15 C, though they can drop to 32 F/0 C or lower on occasion, even as far south as the Gulf. Though mild, winter has the most rainfall. High humidity and temperatures of 90 F/32 C and higher are common in summer. Biloxi, though farthest south, is cooled by breezes from the Mississippi Sound and has fewer days of high heat. Spring and fall  the temperatures and humidities are most comfortable then. Expect March-May to provide temperatures from 43 to 85 F/6 to 29 C, with humidity running in the 54% to 85% range (humidity levels tend to decrease in the midday and afternoon hours in the South). Fall is  drier, with clear, sunny days and temperatures similar to those in spring. Lows may be a bit lower, but not substantially so. The weather is normally more stable in the fall; spring can have some severe thunderstorms and occasional tornadoes.

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Firsts, Facts, Trivia:  

In 1902 while on a hunting expedition in Sharkey County, President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt refused to shoot a captured bear.  This act resulted in the creation of the world-famous teddy bear.

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Featured Tourist Spots:

Mississippi Museum of Natural History  - Life-size habitat displays reveal the rich diversity of Mississippi's living heritage. A 100,000-gallon aquarium system houses over 200 species of native fishes, reptiles, amphibians, and aquatic invertebrates. A 1,700-square foot greenhouse provides a home for alligators, turtles, fish, and a lush native plant garden.  The facility also offers over 2.5 miles of walking trails.

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Mississippi History:

Three major groups of Native Americans lived in the Mississippi region when European exploration of the area began.  The Chickasaw lived in the north and east, the Choctaw in the central part, and the Natchez in the southwest.

First explored for Spain by Hernando De Soto, who discovered the Mississippi River in 1540, the region was later claimed by France. Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, traveled down the Mississippi River in 1682.  He claimed the entire Mississippi Valley, including present-day Mississippi, for France and named it Louisiana in honor of King Louis XIV.  

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