textproduct: Morristown

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 649 AM EST Fri Feb 6 2026

- Slick road conditions may persist through Friday morning for northern portions of the area as cold temperatures continue.

- Snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches above 2500 feet in SW VA and the E TN mountains from Friday afternoon to Saturday morning. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued. Lower elevation locations in SW VA and NE TN may see light accumulations up to half an inch.

- Gusty northwest winds can be expected over the East TN mountains Friday afternoon through Saturday, and a Wind Advisory has been issued.

- Very cold Saturday and Saturday night, but warmer temperatures are expected next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1223 AM EST Fri Feb 6 2026

Another cold night is expected with lows in the 20s for most locations, upper teens possible in NE Tennessee, SW Virginia and the mountains. Black ice will be possible through the morning hours anywhere that moisture lingers, especially the northern half of the forecast area. Temps will be slow to warm up tomorrow, especially in the northern half of the forecast area where clouds will be more stubborn Friday morning.

A cold front will move through the region late Friday afternoon or Friday evening bringing cold temperatures through Saturday night. The highest precipitation chances will be Friday afternoon ahead of this front. Precip will be confined to mainly to the northern half of the forecast area. With good timing at max heating most Valley locations will see rain showers. Elevations above 2500 feet will see light snow starting in the afternoon hours. Light snow will linger mainly in the higher elevations through the evening and overnight hours as northwesterly flow interacts with the mountains. Snow totals from Friday afternoon to Saturday morning are expected to be 2 to 4 inches in the higher elevations of the East Tennessee mountains and Southwest Virginia generally at and above 2500 feet. The highest peaks may see up to 6 inches. HREF is in good agreement with NBM. Valley locations in NE Tennessee and SW Virginia may see up to half an inch but they will have a much shorter duration of snow with frontal passage occurring at the warmest part of the day and precip being predominately terrain enhanced in the overnight hours. So the evening hours will be the best chance for accumulation in the northern valley. Central Tennessee Valley near Knoxville will have light rain in the afternoon transitioning to light snow or flurries in the evening. A dusting of accumulation is possible for Knoxville in the evening hours. South of Knoxville, precip chances drop off sharply but some sprinkles or flurries cannot be ruled out.

A Wind Advisory is in effect for the East Tennessee Mountains from Friday evening through the day Saturday. Gusts up to 45 mph will be possible in the higher elevations with strong 850mb flow. With a westerly/northwesterly wind direction, downslope winds will not be an issue and foothills locations will have winds similar to the Valley. In the TN Valley gusts up to 25 mph will be possible mainly Friday afternoon and evening decreasing somewhat after frontal passage.

Saturday will be cold but the sun should return. Sunday begins a warming trend as a weak ridge moves closer. The best chance for rain appears to be Tuesday night and Wednesday. Next week will be much warmer with all precip expected to be liquid even in the higher elevations!

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 649 AM EST Fri Feb 6 2026

SWly winds will increase out ahead of a cold frontal passage later today. Gusts between 20 and 25KT possible at all terminals. TRI may mainly remain at MVFR today, with CHA and TYS at VFR until this evening. Precipitation expected to arrive from the NNW this afternoon, mostly impacting TRI with rain to start, and then finishing off with snow when temperatures drop. Light precip may reach TYS, but confidence is low to mention in the TAF for now. CIG heights should improve sometime early Saturday.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Chattanooga Airport, TN 59 31 44 24 / 0 0 0 0 Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport, TN 49 24 34 19 / 20 20 0 0 Oak Ridge, TN 50 23 35 20 / 20 10 0 0 Tri Cities Airport, TN 40 18 28 11 / 80 60 0 0

MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

NC...NONE. TN...Winter Weather Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 7 AM EST Saturday for Blount Smoky Mountains-Cocke Smoky Mountains- Johnson-Sevier Smoky Mountains-Southeast Carter-Southeast Greene-Unicoi.

Wind Advisory from 4 PM this afternoon to 7 PM EST Saturday for Blount Smoky Mountains-Cocke Smoky Mountains-Johnson-Sevier Smoky Mountains-Southeast Carter-Southeast Greene-Southeast Monroe-Unicoi.

VA...Winter Weather Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 7 AM EST Saturday for Russell-Washington VA-Wise.