textproduct: Morristown

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 638 PM EST Fri Jan 30 2026

- Heavy snow accumulations are expected for the eastern half of the area tonight through Saturday morning/afteroon. The highest totals will be along and near the far East Tennessee mountains. Snow accumulations will be lighter but still impactful across most other locations.

- Extreme cold will return through the weekend with wind chills near or below 0 Saturday through Sunday morning. The mountains are expected to see Wind Chill values from 5 below zero to 20 below zero.

- A slow warming trend will follow next week with precipitation chances returning by Wednesday.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1249 PM EST Fri Jan 30 2026

Not a whole lot of changes with the new forecast as all the latest models are in fairly good agreement. The biggest changes were to add Hamilton and Sequatchie Counties to the existing Winter Weather Advisory due to some very minor, but possible impactful, snow accumulations. The Extreme Cold Watch has been upgraded to an Extreme Cold Warning across the east TN mountains. Please see existing winter and cold products for more detailed information.

Snowfall:

Light snow will move into the area from north to south through this afternoon and into the evening hours. Light accumulations are expected to begin across southwest Virgina between this afternoon and early evening. Accumulations likely won't begin across the central east TN valley until around or just after sunset. Snow cranks up overnight as forcing increases across the area and a deformation band sets up. Heavy snowfall is expected within this band. The most likely areas to see this heavier band will be east of the I-81 corridor and toward the foothills and across the east TN mountains. The bulk of our snow accumulation will occur tonight through late Saturday morning/early afternoon. Scattered flurries and/or snow showers continue through the rest of the day and into Sunday morning but little to no additional accumulation expected during this time. Hazardous travel conditions are expected overnight and will persist into Saturday. Hazardous travel conditions are also expected from Sunday night into the Monday morning commute due to refreezing, as low temperatures will be down into the single digits across most areas.

Wind Chills and Cold:

Extremely cold air is expected this weekend. High temps will struggle to climb out of the lower 20s on Saturday for most areas. Wind Chill values will be in the single digits across valley locations as winds will be gusting from 20 to 25 mph. Please take proper precautions if you plan to spend anytime outdoors and dress appropriately as frost bit can occur rather quickly on any exposed skin. The Extreme Cold Warning begins Saturday afteroon and goes through Sunday across the east TN mountain zones for Wind Chills down to -5 to -20F. Winds will be gusting up to 35 mph. Frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin is exposed to these temperatures. High temps on Sunday remain below freezing for most areas. With calming winds, clearing skies, and snowpack, overnight lows on Sunday will be in the single digits to near zero across northeast TN, single digits central TN Valley, and mid teens across the southern TN Valley.

Temperatures moderate Monday through Wednesday as weak riding builds into the area. Highs near normal by Tuesday. Another midweek system then approaches on Wednesday, with light snow accumulation possible across the east TN mountains.

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 638 PM EST Fri Jan 30 2026

Snow will continue to spread southward across the TN valley over the next 2-4 hours, reaching KCHA by 03z. Expect VSBY to bounce back and forth between 1-3SM in the snow, with CIGS generally in the OVC015-020 for much of the night. Tomorrow, snow begins wind down after 18-21z, with CIGS and VSBY improving by that time. Winds should pick up significantly tomorrow at KTYS and KCHA, with gusts expected to exceed 25kt at KCHA.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Chattanooga Airport, TN 19 26 15 35 / 40 30 10 10 Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport, TN 16 22 9 28 / 90 80 10 10 Oak Ridge, TN 15 22 10 31 / 80 60 10 10 Tri Cities Airport, TN 13 19 5 25 / 90 80 20 10

MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

NC...Winter Storm Warning until 7 PM EST Saturday for Cherokee-Clay.

Cold Weather Advisory from 5 AM Saturday to 1 PM EST Sunday for Cherokee-Clay.

TN...Winter Storm Warning until 7 PM EST Saturday for East Polk.

Cold Weather Advisory from 5 AM EST /4 AM CST/ Saturday to 1 PM EST /noon CST/ Sunday for Anderson-Bledsoe-Bradley-Campbell- Claiborne-East Polk-Grainger-Hamblen-Hamilton-Hancock- Hawkins-Jefferson-Knox-Loudon-Marion-McMinn-Meigs-Morgan- North Sevier-Northwest Blount-Northwest Carter-Northwest Cocke-Northwest Greene-Northwest Monroe-Rhea-Roane-Scott TN- Sequatchie-Sullivan-Union-Washington TN-West Polk.

Winter Weather Advisory until 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ Saturday for Anderson-Bledsoe-Bradley-Campbell-McMinn-Meigs-Morgan-Rhea- Roane-Scott TN-West Polk.

Winter Storm Warning until 1 AM EST Sunday for Blount Smoky Mountains-Claiborne-Cocke Smoky Mountains-Grainger-Hamblen- Hancock-Hawkins-Jefferson-Johnson-Knox-Loudon-North Sevier- Northwest Blount-Northwest Carter-Northwest Cocke-Northwest Greene-Northwest Monroe-Sevier Smoky Mountains-Southeast Carter-Southeast Greene-Southeast Monroe-Sullivan-Unicoi- Union-Washington TN.

Extreme Cold Warning from 1 PM Saturday to 1 PM EST Sunday for Blount Smoky Mountains-Cocke Smoky Mountains-Johnson-Sevier Smoky Mountains-Southeast Carter-Southeast Greene-Southeast Monroe-Unicoi.

Winter Weather Advisory from 1 AM EST /midnight CST/ to 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ Saturday for Hamilton-Sequatchie.

VA...Cold Weather Advisory from 5 AM Saturday to 1 PM EST Sunday for Lee-Russell-Scott VA-Washington VA-Wise.

Winter Storm Warning until 1 AM EST Sunday for Lee-Russell-Scott VA-Washington VA-Wise.