January, 2008

A big HELLO goes out to the fourth grade students at Witt Elementary School in Hamblen County.  I got to spend some time with the fourth grade kids discussing weather this morning. The students were very polite and receptive to my teaching.  Witt School is located just off I-81 in Hamblen County.

Much needed rain is on the way tonight where some areas may receive 1"-2" amounts. Gusty winds are expected late tonight as low pressure moves right over Tennessee. A HIGH WIND WARNING is posted for the Smoky Mountains where the wind could gust up to 60mph. Most of the rain threat ends Friday morning followed by falling temps.

Another storm system is headed our way through the evening and overnight hours. Most of the daylight hours today will be dry with highs near 50, but after 6pm tonight rain will become likely and amounts could be heavy in spots overnight (1"-2" possible). We will stat Friday morning near 50, then see temperatures fall through the 40s during the day.

After several dozen reports of wind damage last night, plan on a much more tranquil pattern tonight. Clouds will gradually increase through the day tomorrow followed by some showers late in the day. Rainy and windy conditions are likely Thursday night into early Friday before dry weather sets in for most of your weekend.

After a stormy night, it will be quieter today. We will still have a gusty wind (not as bad as last night) and it will be cooler, but no damage is expected with today's winds. We will see another round of showers and storms late Thursday into Friday with another round of gusty winds and potentially some heavy rainfall.

The Storm Prediciton Center has issued a Severe Thunderstorm WATCH for most of east Tennessee and Southeast Kentucy until Midnight. Click here for more details.
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/watch/ww0028.html

A special THANK YOU to the second grade students at Grace Christian Academy in Karns.  I got to share a weather lesson with them this afternoon and entertained some very good questions.  The number one question as you might guess...."Where is our snow?"  We still have six more weeks of winter to go.  Hang in there kids.....teachers too.

A strong cold front will push into the area tonight bringing some much needed rain and the possibility of a few thunderstorms. Winds may gust over 40mph prompting a WIND ADVISORY for the entire viewing area. Much colder air returns quickly behind the front with lows in the 20's by morning.

Keep the umbrella handy today. We will see only spotty showers for the first half of the day, but showers and storms will be likely by this evening with the threat for some strong thunderstorms (damaging winds possible). You will know that a cold front has gone through as we will only be in the upper 30s for Wednesday.

Mostly Cloudy and quite mild tonight. Mostly Cloudy and warm tomorrow as temperatures will reach the 50's. It will  become Breezy. Look for increasing chances for scattered showers during the day. The best chance of Rain and even Thundershowers will be late tomorrow and into tomorrow evening. We will briefly see the return of sunshine along with colder weather Wednesday before Rain returns again for late week. After all this needed Rainfall, we should enjoy a sunny mild weekend.

Everyone remebers how dry last year was (more than a foot below normal for rainfall), but did you realize we are already more than an inch and a half below normal for 2008? So, this week's rain chances on Tueasday and again Thursday/Friday will be welcomed. In fact, there are some indications that Tuesday's rain could be between a half inch to more than an inch for most areas and Thursday/Friday's rainfall potential ould be even greater.  We will see...

Temperatures will be at or above average nearly every day this week, so the opportunities for precipitation Tuesday, Thursday and Friday will be ALL rain. In fact, we could actually have a few rumbles of thunder woth both of these systems. The only day where we may see below average temperatures appears to be Wednesday, but at least it will be sunny.

Clear and cold tonight. Sunshine on your Monday will be followed by Increasing Clouds later in the day. We will enjoy warmer weather as temperatures will reach the 50's. Those Clouds will bring Rain Showers to the area by Tuesday into Tuesday Night.

Sunshine will return today. Look for some warming as temperatures will reach 45 to 50 today. Clear and seasonably cold tonight. Sunshine tomorrow will be followed by Increasing Clouds later in the day. Those clouds will bring Rain Showers to most of our area by Tuesday.

Mostly Cloudy and seasonably cold tonight. Tomorrow may begin with clouds but sunshine will return. Temperatures will start to warm reaching 45 to 50 by tomorrow afternoon. Monday will be even warmer along with plenty of sunshine. The next chance for Rain Showers will arrive on Tuesday.

Look for a few Light Snow Showers or Sprinkles this morning. No problems are expected. Mostly Cloudy and Cold today but we may see a few breaks in the clouds from time to time.Mostly Cloudy tonight. After a cloudy start , look for a return of sunshine tomorrow. Temperatures will start to warm tomorrow but they will really warm by early next week.

After a sunny but cold day, the clouds have increased and will be with us the rest of the night. There is a little moisture with this approaching system but any precipitation should be on the light side.  We can't rule out some flurries, sleet or freezing drizzle through Saturday morning but any icing should be limited.  Most areas won't have any problems his highs reach near 40.  More sunshine returns for Sunday afternoon with warmer air.

We are thrilled for our friends at Ober Gatlinburg.  After a very warm start to winter, the recent cold air and the snow guns have created a winter wonderland at the slopes above Gatlinburg. It's the best skiing of the season so far.  As of this morning, Ober Gatlinburg was reporting a 34 to 56 inch base.  Have fun but be careful.

We will see a fast moving system slide through the area after midnight and before sunrise that could bring a few "light" snow showers or flurries, but it would be a different kind of snow compared to what some areas saw yesterday.  Thursday we had some big, quater-sized flakes which went "splat" when they hit the ground.

It is a very cold start to our Friday with most areas in the teens. We will not see much of a warm-up today as clouds start to roll in and help to block out the sunshine. A fast moving disturbance slides through the region overnight bringing with it a few light snow showers/flurries to the area, but no travel problems are expected. The warm-up really begins on Sunday through Tuesday with highs in the 50s.

It is a very cold start to our Friday with most areas in the teens. We will not see much of a warm-up today as clouds start to roll in and help to block out the sunshine. A fast moving disturbance slides through the region overnight and bringing a few light snow showers/flurries to the area, but no major travel problems are expected.

Now that the flurries and snow showers from earlier today are gone, plan on a very cold night. Dry arctic air flows in under clear skies allowing temperatures to drop well into the teens if not the single digits across East Tennessee. Some of the higher elevations of the Smokies could reach 0 degrees or colder.