Oak Ridge Today

Aurora may be visible again Saturday night

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Screenshot of image by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center

The aurora may be visible in the sky again Saturday night, depending upon the weather, federal forecasters said.

Severe and extreme geomagnetic storms associated with coronal mass ejections, or solar eruptions, are likely Sunday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

When the material from the sun arrives at Earth, it can cause a geomagnetic storm. During the storm, an aurora may be visible. An aurora is a natural electrical phenomenon characterized by shimmering lights in the upper atmosphere at night, usually near the northern or southern magnetic pole. They happen when energetic particles from the sun interact with atoms in the upper atmosphere.

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Aurora may be visible in sky

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Screenshot from National Weather Service Space Weather Prediction Center

It appears that the chances are low in Tennessee, but an aurora may be visible in the sky over the northern half of the country this weekend, and possibly as far south as Alabama.

The National Weather Service Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a watch for a severe geomagnetic storm, saying it is possible later in the day Friday and continuing through the weekend. At least seven Earth-directed coronal mass ejections are in transit, the NWS said.

However, “exact timing remains somewhat uncertain,” forecasters said.

A coronal mass ejection is a solar eruption. When the solar materials arrive at Earth, a geomagnetic storm can result.

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Tornado watch through early Wednesday

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Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

A tornado watch is in effect in the area through early Wednesday, and strong to severe thunderstorms are possible, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The NWS Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, said a severe weather outbreak is possible through Tuesday evening over the Ohio Valley, with the broader severe weather risk including parts of the Southeast.

“Strong and potentially long-track tornadoes are possible from Indiana and Ohio southward into the Mid South,” the Storm Prediction Center said. “A threat for strong tornadoes may focus this evening into tonight across parts of Alabama and Georgia.”

The region’s tornado watch is in effect until 2 a.m. Wednesday, and it includes Anderson, Campbell, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, Roane, Scott, and Union counties, among others. Oak Ridge is in Anderson and Roane counties.

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Wind chill advisory issued

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Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

Cold temperatures and wind chills below zero are expected Friday night into Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The NWS issued a wind chill advisory starting 11 p.m. Friday and continuing through noon Saturday.

Temperatures were forecast to continue to fall quickly with most places in the single digits by Saturday morning.

“Below 0 wind chills are also expected late tonight (Friday night) through Saturday with most places barely reaching 20 degrees on Saturday,” the NWS said. “Temperatures Saturday night will fall to near or even below 0 in most places. A warming trend will follow into next week.”

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Wind chills expected below zero

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Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

Wind chills below zero are expected through Tuesday night through noon Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

A wind chill advisory went into effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday and will continue until lunchtime Wednesday.

The low Tuesday night is forecast at 1 degree Fahrenheit, with a wind around 5 miles per hour and wind chill values between -2 and -7.

The high on Wednesday is supposed to be near 28 with wind chill values between -8 and 2.

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Roads, schools, businesses closed after heavy snow

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A snowplow works around Methodist Medical Center on Oak Ridge Turnpike during heavy snow on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Roads, schools, and businesses closed as snow fell for hours in Oak Ridge. The snow began about 8:30 p.m. Sunday, and snow continued to fall at about 6 p.m. Monday.

Oak Ridge Today measured almost seven inches of snow at about 5 p.m. Monday. The National Weather Service in Morristown had forecast between four to six and six to eight inches of snow in the Oak Ridge and Clinton areas.

“Very cold air is moving in across the region with sub-freezing temperatures continuing through Thursday,” the National Weather Service said. “Temperatures Tuesday night will be around zero!”

Roads, even main streets like Oak Ridge Turnpike, had a thick layer of snow on them, with a wet, slippery surface underneath. Traffic was light when normally it would be heavy, and most drivers drove slowly and cautiously, with some turning on their hazard lights.

“With significant snow accumulations across much of the area and very cold temperatures, hazardous travel conditions may develop,” the NWS said. “Avoid travel, but if you must, use caution.”

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NWS: Temps above normal in 2022, but record cold Christmas Eve

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Image courtesy National Weather Service Morristown

The average temperatures in 2022 were above the normal temperatures in East Tennessee, but there were record cold temperatures reported on Christmas Eve, the National Weather Service said.

The number of cold hours around Christmas in late December might have seemed long, but it was not a record-breaker, the NWS said.

“The arctic front that ushered in this outbreak of cold weather moved through during the early morning hours on December 23,” the NWS said. Between then and the end of the cold streak, several locations recorded more than 100 consecutive hours at or below freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit). Wise, a city in southwest Virginia north of Tennessee’s Tri-Cities, reported 107 hours below freezing, the NWS said. That’s equivalent to about 4.5 days. Oak Ridge was below freezing for 106 hours and Knoxville for 104 hours, both also close to 4.5 days.

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Temps could stay below freezing through Christmas

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The extreme cold wind chills will continue much of the day on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. When going outside, dress appropriately. Wear several layers of clothes, coat, hat, and gloves. (Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown)

Temperatures could stay below freezing through Christmas, and a wind chill warning remains in effect for Oak Ridge through early Saturday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The wind chill warning expires at 1 p.m. Saturday. The NWS forecast said wind chill values could range between -3 and 7 degrees Fahrenheit, with winds of between 5 and 10 miles per hour. Scattered snow flurries are possible between noon and 2 p.m. Saturday.

The high Saturday is forecast near 22. The low Saturday night is forecast at 12.

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NWS: Dangerous wind chills possible

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Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

Dangerous wind chills are possible from Thursday to Saturday, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The temperature could drop to 11 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday night, 5 degrees on Friday night, and 9 degrees on Saturday night, according to the NWS forecast for Oak Ridge.

And there could be wind gusts of up to 20-30 miles per hour between Thursday night and Saturday, the Oak Ridge forecast said, making the outside air temperature feel even colder.

Wind chills in the area between Knoxville and Kingston could range between -10 and -12 from Friday morning to mid-Saturday, the NWS said.

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NWS issues winter storm warning

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This map by the National Weather Service in Morristown shows a snowfall forecast between Sunday morning, Jan. 16, and Monday morning, Jan. 17, 2022.

A winter storm warning is in effect for Anderson, Campbell, Morgan, and Scott counties.

The National Weather Service in Morristown issued the winter storm warning Sunday morning, and it is in effect through Monday morning.

Heavy snow is expected, with between 1 to 5 inches of snow possible and 6 to 9 inches at the highest elevations.

“Travel could be very difficult,” the NWS said. “The hazardous conditions could impact the morning commute.”

You can get the latest road conditions by calling 511. “If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency,” the NWS said.

The Oak Ridge forecast calls for rain before noon, then rain and snow between noon and 4 p.m., with snow after 4 p.m. The temperature will fall to around 32 degrees Fahrenheit by 4 p.m., the NWS said. The chance of precipitation is 90%. Close to an inch of snow is possible, forecasters said.

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Chance of snow, cold weather on Sunday

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This map by the National Weather Service in Morristown shows a snowfall forecast between Saturday morning, Jan. 15, and Monday morning, Jan. 17, 2022.

There is a chance of snow and cold, below-freezing temperatures on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The NWS has published several snowfall forecasts, based upon different probabilities.

The official NWS forecast shows less than an inch of snow is possible in the Oak Ridge area.

More snow, greater than 4 inches, is possible in areas north of Oak Ridge, such as Sunbright, Oneida, and Tazewell.

Here is the NWS forecast for Oak Ridge:

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Snow, cold likely, NWS says

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Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

Snow and cold temperatures are likely in Oak Ridge on Thursday, the National Weather Service in Morristown said, and many schools in the area, including in Oak Ridge, are closed.

Here is the NWS forecast for the Oak Ridge area on Thursday, when the high is expected to be 36 degrees Fahrenheit, with a mostly cloudy sky and a wintry mix of precipitation:

  • Rain, snow, and sleet before 4 p.m. Thursday.
  • Rain between 4 and 5 p.m.
  • Rain and snow after 5 p.m.

The chance of precipitation is 100%, but the Weather Service does not expect much snow or sleet to accumulate. The NWS said it has “moderate confidence in the start time for snow since minor changes in temperature can affect when rain turns to snow.”

But this evening, there could be one to two inches of snow that accumulate, the NWS said. Snow is likely mainly before 8 p.m., the forecast said. The chance of precipitation is 60%.

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