Blount County, other areas of East Tennessee, Western North Carolina, Southwest Virginia under winter storm watch
From Staff Reports
A winter storm watch is in effect for Blount County from
late tonight through Friday evening.
The National Weather Service forecast
calls for a wintry mix of precipitation, including freezing rain and sleet across southeast
Tennessee, extreme southwest North Carolina. The precipitation will likely change to all rain before
ending. Ice accumulations of one-tenth to one-quarter inch will be
possible.
Further to the north across far northeast Tennessee and southwest
Virginia, the precipitation is expected to start as snow and sleet, gradually mixing with or
changing to freezing rain and possibly rain. Snow accumulations of up to 2 to 3 inches, and ice
accumulations of around one-tenth of an inch will be possible.
The
precipitation will move into the Cumberland Plateau and southeast Tennessee late tonight and will
spread over the entire region Friday morning. It will taper off by late Friday afternoon or early
evening.
Extremely hazardous driving conditions can be expected.
Accumulating ice and snow may pull down trees and power lines in some areas. Localized to widespread
power outages are possible.
