Major Winter Weather Impacts Possible This Weekend

All eyes are on this weekend as a significant winter storm is set to develop and track across much of the South. We have the latest on timing and totals coming up right here. The NWS Memphis office has told us they will be re-evaluating a possible upgrade to a Winter Storm Warning or and Ice Storm Warning with the day shift

Tonight:

A cold front will pass through the area, knocking temperatures back to well below average levels. We will likely end up around the low 30s with a northerly breeze across West Tennessee. Cloud cover will increase over the course of the night, and by Friday morning, we will likely be almost completely overcast.

Friday:

Friday will likely be the last day we reach a high above freezing until the middle of next week. Highs will get up to the mid-30s and begin to plummet as the winds pick up and the weekend system draws nearer to the Mid-South. Lows will end up  in the upper-teens for Saturday morning.

Saturday Morning:

Flurries could begin to fall in portions of West Tennessee as early as 6:00 AM Saturday. We are currently monitoring trends for the placement of the warm nose. Areas under the warm nose will see a significant increase in ice accumulations in the form of freezing rain. Current model guidance would suggest the warm nose will end up near the I-40 corridor, so areas from Jackson southward could see significant accumulations of ice starting in the late morning as temps warm up. Expect slick conditions from here until further notice, likely until at least Tuesday.

Saturday Evening:

By around 5:00 PM Saturday, temperatures will already be down in the low 20s and dropping. A wintry mix will still be falling well into the evening hours and possible overnight. The placement of the warm nose in the latest guidance from around 6:00 AM Thursday morning would suggest there is a chance the warm nose makes it as far north as Dyersburg, Greenfield, Dresden, and Paris. We will not be posting our official predictions for snow and ice totals until confidence is high on timing and placement. This should come tonight with the afternoon guidance model runs.

Sunday:

By Sunday, the wintry mix will transition to snow showers. Winter weather is expected to stop by 6:00 PM, but the impacts of the storm will not be immediate. Ice accumulations will weigh down over time, and dangerous cold temperatures will move in by Sunday night as temperatures are expected to dip below zero for the first time this winter. We are anticipating the issuance of Cold Weather Advisories or Extreme Cold Warnings as we monitor the forecast.

What You Can Do:

Prepare now. Have emergency kits in both your home and your car. If you do not have one, Friday is the absolute latest you should leave your house. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If you don’t have one, check with your local fire department to see if they have a program to give you one. Fill up your car. In the event you are stranded on the roadways, a full tank of gas will keep you warm for longer. Do not leave your home once weather starts if you can avoid it. Roadways will quickly become treacherous with icy conditions especially on bridges and overpasses.

What You Should Know:

Ice is the biggest problem in winter weather as accumulations as little as one-quarter in. (0.25 in.) of ice can cause major problems. Isolated power outages begin with one-quarter inch of ice and become widespread and catastrophic at one-half (0.5 in.) inch.