diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 139ea9d220453..fe4b89788c822 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ jobs:
           command: |
             /opt/python/cp311-cp311/bin/python -m venv ~/virtualenvs/pandas-dev
             . ~/virtualenvs/pandas-dev/bin/activate
-            python -m pip install --no-cache-dir -U pip wheel setuptools meson-python==0.13.1 meson[ninja]==1.2.1
+            python -m pip install --no-cache-dir -U pip wheel setuptools meson-python meson[ninja]
             python -m pip install --no-cache-dir versioneer[toml] cython numpy python-dateutil pytest>=7.3.2 pytest-xdist>=3.4.0 hypothesis>=6.84.0
             python -m pip install --no-cache-dir --no-build-isolation -e . -Csetup-args="--werror"
             python -m pip list --no-cache-dir
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-310.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-310.yaml
index 74cab4e0970dc..4b6f22d39ce8a 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-310.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-310.yaml
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson>=1.2.1
+  - meson-python>=0.13.1
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-311-downstream_compat.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-311-downstream_compat.yaml
index 092ca18d61259..3d22047f4f15a 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-311-downstream_compat.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-311-downstream_compat.yaml
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson>=1.2.1
+  - meson-python>=0.13.1
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-311-numpydev.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-311-numpydev.yaml
index 325a6d45d74fd..653aa78ece3ee 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-311-numpydev.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-311-numpydev.yaml
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ dependencies:
 
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer
-  - meson=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson>=1.2.1
+  - meson-python>=0.13.1
   - cython>=0.29.33
 
   # test dependencies
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-311-pyarrownightly.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-311-pyarrownightly.yaml
index 2d3d11c294e12..a65aee2eba8de 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-311-pyarrownightly.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-311-pyarrownightly.yaml
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ dependencies:
 
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer
-  - meson=1.2.1
+  - meson>=1.2.1
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson-python>=0.13.1
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-311.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-311.yaml
index b6f515dceaea9..78b13edd47d6d 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-311.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-311.yaml
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson>=1.2.1
+  - meson-python>=0.13.1
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-312.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-312.yaml
index bc66f8a5382c9..289184e8dac5b 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-312.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-312.yaml
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson>=1.2.1
+  - meson-python>=0.13.1
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/actions-pypy-39.yaml b/ci/deps/actions-pypy-39.yaml
index 90933b24b88db..d46b98c77fd87 100644
--- a/ci/deps/actions-pypy-39.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/actions-pypy-39.yaml
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson>=1.2.1
+  - meson-python>=0.13.1
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/ci/deps/circle-311-arm64.yaml b/ci/deps/circle-311-arm64.yaml
index 3f09e27d0fe4b..1ebdc36b51865 100644
--- a/ci/deps/circle-311-arm64.yaml
+++ b/ci/deps/circle-311-arm64.yaml
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer
   - cython>=0.29.33
-  - meson=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson>=1.2.1
+  - meson-python>=0.13.1
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/environment.yml b/environment.yml
index 69647a436e3ad..9ba33052fb256 100644
--- a/environment.yml
+++ b/environment.yml
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ dependencies:
   # build dependencies
   - versioneer
   - cython~=3.0.5
-  - meson=1.2.1
-  - meson-python=0.13.1
+  - meson>=1.2.1
+  - meson-python>=0.13.1
 
   # test dependencies
   - pytest>=7.3.2
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 66583095a6e77..71d75c0ca1f07 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -15,19 +15,26 @@ py = import('python').find_installation(pure: false)
 tempita = files('generate_pxi.py')
 versioneer = files('generate_version.py')
 
-
-add_project_arguments('-DNPY_NO_DEPRECATED_API=0', language: 'c')
-add_project_arguments('-DNPY_NO_DEPRECATED_API=0', language: 'cpp')
-
-# Allow supporting older numpys than the version compiled against
-# Set the define to the min supported version of numpy for pandas
-# e.g. right now this is targeting numpy 1.21+
-add_project_arguments('-DNPY_TARGET_VERSION=NPY_1_21_API_VERSION', language: 'c')
-add_project_arguments(
+cc = meson.get_compiler('c')
+cp = meson.get_compiler('cpp')
+
+project_args = [
+    '-DNPY_NO_DEPRECATED_API=0',
+    # Allow supporting older numpys than the version compiled against
+    # Set the define to the min supported version of numpy for pandas
+    # e.g. right now this is targeting numpy 1.21+
     '-DNPY_TARGET_VERSION=NPY_1_21_API_VERSION',
-    language: 'cpp',
-)
+    # ignore some MSVC warnings for narrowing
+    '/wd4244',
+    '/wd4267',
+    '/wd4551',
+]
+
+c_args = cc.get_supported_arguments(project_args)
+cpp_args = cp.get_supported_arguments(project_args)
 
+add_project_arguments(c_args, language: 'c')
+add_project_arguments(cpp_args, language: 'cpp')
 
 if fs.exists('_version_meson.py')
     py.install_sources('_version_meson.py', subdir: 'pandas')
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/hashtable_func_helper.pxi.in b/pandas/_libs/hashtable_func_helper.pxi.in
index 5500fadb73b6d..9744b7f67502f 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/hashtable_func_helper.pxi.in
+++ b/pandas/_libs/hashtable_func_helper.pxi.in
@@ -114,6 +114,15 @@ cdef value_count_{{dtype}}(const {{dtype}}_t[:] values, bint dropna, const uint8
         result_counts[i] = table.vals[k]
 
     if na_counter > 0:
+        # gcc-11.4 on ubuntu 22.04 cannot see that val won't be unassigned
+        # when we make it into this branch
+        assert n > 0
+        {{if dtype == 'object'}}
+        val = values[n - 1]
+        {{else}}
+        val = {{to_c_type}}(values[n - 1])
+        {{endif}}
+
         result_counts[table.size] = na_counter
         result_keys.append(val)
 
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/meson.build b/pandas/_libs/meson.build
index 5fb6f1118d648..d1f77dd14df73 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/meson.build
+++ b/pandas/_libs/meson.build
@@ -84,7 +84,11 @@ libs_sources = {
         'sources': ['join.pyx', _khash_primitive_helper],
         'deps': _khash_primitive_helper_dep,
     },
-    'lib': {'sources': ['lib.pyx', 'src/parser/tokenizer.c']},
+    'lib': {
+        'sources': ['lib.pyx', 'src/parser/tokenizer.c'],
+        # cython issue 6603
+        'c_args': cc.get_supported_arguments(['-Wno-unused-function']),
+    },
     'missing': {'sources': ['missing.pyx']},
     'pandas_datetime': {
         'sources': [
@@ -117,7 +121,11 @@ libs_sources = {
     'ops': {'sources': ['ops.pyx']},
     'ops_dispatch': {'sources': ['ops_dispatch.pyx']},
     'properties': {'sources': ['properties.pyx']},
-    'reshape': {'sources': ['reshape.pyx']},
+    'reshape': {
+        'sources': ['reshape.pyx'],
+        # cython issue 6603
+        'c_args': cc.get_supported_arguments(['-Wno-unused-function']),
+    },
     'sas': {'sources': ['sas.pyx']},
     'byteswap': {'sources': ['byteswap.pyx']},
     'sparse': {'sources': ['sparse.pyx', _sparse_op_helper]},
@@ -142,6 +150,7 @@ foreach ext_name, ext_dict : libs_sources
         cython_args: cython_args,
         include_directories: [inc_np, inc_pd],
         dependencies: ext_dict.get('deps', ''),
+        c_args: ext_dict.get('c_args', []),
         subdir: 'pandas/_libs',
         install: true,
     )
diff --git a/pandas/io/formats/style_render.py b/pandas/io/formats/style_render.py
index c0f0608f1ab32..ab5e9cabfa099 100644
--- a/pandas/io/formats/style_render.py
+++ b/pandas/io/formats/style_render.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
     Sequence,
 )
 from functools import partial
+import pathlib
 import re
 from typing import (
     TYPE_CHECKING,
@@ -71,7 +72,9 @@ class StylerRenderer:
     Base class to process rendering a Styler with a specified jinja2 template.
     """
 
-    loader = jinja2.PackageLoader("pandas", "io/formats/templates")
+    thisdir = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.resolve()
+    template_dir = thisdir / "templates"
+    loader = jinja2.FileSystemLoader(template_dir)
     env = jinja2.Environment(loader=loader, trim_blocks=True)
     template_html = env.get_template("html.tpl")
     template_html_table = env.get_template("html_table.tpl")
diff --git a/pandas/tests/io/formats/style/test_html.py b/pandas/tests/io/formats/style/test_html.py
index 752b9b391f9cb..e46a59197a3b7 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/io/formats/style/test_html.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/io/formats/style/test_html.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import pathlib
 from textwrap import (
     dedent,
     indent,
@@ -18,7 +19,9 @@
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def env():
-    loader = jinja2.PackageLoader("pandas", "io/formats/templates")
+    project_dir = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.parent.parent.parent.parent.resolve()
+    template_dir = project_dir / "io" / "formats" / "templates"
+    loader = jinja2.FileSystemLoader(template_dir)
     env = jinja2.Environment(loader=loader, trim_blocks=True)
     return env
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 7ab9cd2c17669..1417814da008f 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # See https://github.com/scipy/scipy/pull/12940 for the AIX issue.
 requires = [
     "meson-python>=0.13.1",
-    "meson>=1.2.1,<2",
+    "meson>=1.2.1",
     "wheel",
     "Cython~=3.0.5",  # Note: sync with setup.py, environment.yml and asv.conf.json
     # Force numpy higher than 2.0rc1, so that built wheels are compatible
@@ -149,7 +149,6 @@ setup = ['--vsenv'] # For Windows
 [tool.cibuildwheel]
 skip = "cp36-* cp37-* cp38-* cp39-* pp* *_i686 *_ppc64le *_s390x"
 build-verbosity = "3"
-environment = {LDFLAGS="-Wl,--strip-all"}
 test-requires = "hypothesis>=6.84.0 pytest>=7.3.2 pytest-xdist>=3.4.0"
 test-command = """
   PANDAS_CI='1' python -c 'import pandas as pd; \
@@ -159,6 +158,12 @@ test-command = """
 free-threaded-support = true
 before-build = "PACKAGE_DIR={package} bash {package}/scripts/cibw_before_build.sh"
 
+[tool.cibuildwheel.macos]
+environment = {LDFLAGS="-Wl,--strip-all"}
+
+[tool.cibuildwheel.linux]
+environment = {LDFLAGS="-Wl,--strip-all"}
+
 [tool.cibuildwheel.windows]
 before-build = "pip install delvewheel && bash {package}/scripts/cibw_before_build_windows.sh"
 before-test = "bash {package}/scripts/cibw_before_test_windows.sh"
diff --git a/requirements-dev.txt b/requirements-dev.txt
index fb4d9cdb589ca..e6c9f631a6683 100644
--- a/requirements-dev.txt
+++ b/requirements-dev.txt
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 pip
 versioneer[toml]
 cython~=3.0.5
-meson[ninja]==1.2.1
-meson-python==0.13.1
+meson[ninja]>=1.2.1
+meson-python>=0.13.1
 pytest>=7.3.2
 pytest-cov
 pytest-xdist>=3.4.0