textproduct: Morristown

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 237 AM EDT Thu Sep 3 2026 - Very hot conditions are expected through the rest of the week with highs reaching well into the 90s and heat index values approaching or exceeding 100 for most places outside the higher elevations. Take frequent breaks and drink plenty of water when outdoors this week!

- Temperatures will gradually moderate some through the weekend with a return of isolated to scattered showers and storms.

- A few storms Friday afternoon/evening mainly north and then including the remainder of the area Saturday may become strong to severe, with damaging wind gusts the primary threat.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 237 AM EDT Thu Sep 3 2026

Heat advisory will be in effect for the core heating hours both today and tomorrow all the way up to Campbell, Union, Knox, and Sevier counties. Upper ridge is bearing its full might down upon us this week, so everyone needs to think cool thoughts. Thursday is the more likely of the remaining two days of the week to hit daily records, with both peak heat expected today and the records themselves being a touch lower. Yesterday Chattanooga tied a daily record and TYS and TRI stopped just short. Today 850 mb temperatures will be reaching their 21C (near seasonal climatological maximum) peaks for today into Saturday, and the combination sinking will maximize the heat.

Daily Record High Maximum Temperatures

Date Chattanooga Knoxville Tri-Cities Oak Ridge 09-03 100(1954) 98(2011) 96(2011) 99(2011) 09-04 102(1954) 101(1954) 99(1954) 100(1954)

Dewpoints have been dipping into the upper 60s at Chattanooga, McGhee Tyson, and Tri-Cities the last couple of afternoons during peak boundary layer mixing. These values are a few degrees lower than the low 70s the NBM and other consensus aids want to paint, which isn't surprising given the NBM's high dewpoint biases. Regardless, it will be HOT today, tomorrow, Saturday, and then not as hot Sunday into next week.

Not as hot because we have a northeastern trough helping to bring a "cold" front through on Saturday, and a weak impulse on Sunday. Friday looks more isolated coverage, but should a storm grow tall enough the thermodynamics are favorable for downburst gusty winds. Saturday ahead of the "cold" front the RRFS has slightly better coverage, but still on the low end side for coverage and again downburst winds would be the expected hazard. Sunday the NBM is the most bullish on PoPs wise as a combination of the slightly lesser upper heights and what the GFS and Euro both depict as a weak impulse pivots through our region, likely helping to initiate additional thunderstorms. Again, main hazards would be gusty winds and lightning.

Looking ahead temperature wise, the GFS/Euro seemed to trade dance partners while the EPS is still steadfast on a return of the ridge midweek next week. We'll see. Hopefully we get more upper trough than upper ridge. Either way it looks likely Chattanooga will at least be sporting a continued streak of 90+ weather. Water breaks for those with fall sports and outdoors jobs remains of utmost importance for heat safety for the foreseeable future.

AVIATION

(06Z TAFS) Issued at 155 AM EDT Thu Sep 3 2026

Persistence forecast with brief fog expected to develop just before sunrise at TRI. Fog will quickly improve shortly after sunrise, leading way to VFR conditions and light winds at all sites for the remainder of the period.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Chattanooga Airport, TN 100 76 99 76 / 0 0 10 0 Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport, TN 98 74 98 74 / 10 0 0 0 Oak Ridge, TN 98 74 98 73 / 0 10 10 0 Tri Cities Airport, TN 96 70 95 69 / 0 0 20 10

MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

NC...NONE. TN...Heat Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 8 PM EDT Friday for Anderson-Campbell-Knox-Morgan-North Sevier-Northwest Blount- Scott TN-Union.

Heat Advisory until 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ Friday for Bledsoe- Bradley-Hamilton-Loudon-Marion-McMinn-Meigs-Northwest Monroe-Rhea-Roane-Sequatchie-West Polk.

VA...NONE.