Oak Ridge Today

City offices close, crews treat roads, up to 1/2 inch of ice possible

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Ice on Car

Ice coats a car in Oak Ridge on Friday. The National Weather Service in Morristown said there could be a total of 1/4 to 1/2 inch of ice in areas subjected to several hours of freezing rain.

Oak Ridge municipal offices were originally scheduled to open at noon today, but they will remain closed all day, a city official said.

City workers urged residents to avoid driving, or even walking outside, if possible. A sheet of ice has coated many homes, driveways, and sidewalks.

With government offices, schools, and many businesses closed or opening late, some roads appeared deserted. Oak Ridge Police Department Lt. Robin Smith said a few vehicles have slid off roads, but not much else has happened.

“It’s been very quiet, which is the way we like it,” Smith said. “It’s been good so far.”

Oak Ridge Public Works Director Gary Cinder said the city spent about 12 hours Thursday treating about 100 miles of streets. Workers used two trucks to spread a brine solution, a “super salty” liquid.

“Every road we pre-treated with brine is in really good shape,” Cinder said. “It’s wet. It’s passable.”

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Oak Ridge city offices open late, Y-12 access restricted Friday

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Winter Storm WatchOak Ridge municipal offices will open at noon Friday and access to the Y-12 National Security Complex will be restricted to essential employees due to the wintry, icy weather that is forecast to begin tonight in the southern Appalachians.

A winter storm watch is in effect through Friday evening across the region, including in Anderson and Roane counties, and the National Weather Service in Morristown said significant icing is possible across the East Tennessee Valley.

In a press release Thursday, the city of Oak Ridge said it is preparing for possible disruptions to city services, including widespread and extended power outages.

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Winter storm watch issued for Anderson, Roane, other counties

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A winter storm could affect the southern Appalachians starting tonight and continuing through Friday night, and significant icing is possible across much of the East Tennessee Valley, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service in Morristown said subfreezing surface temperatures and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will result in a wintry mix of precipitation across the area.

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Chance of snow 100 percent today, black ice possible Friday

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Winter Storm Snow Forecast

Forecasters say air moving into the southern Appalachians will turn rain into snow by this afternoon. (Image courtesy of National Weather Service in Morristown.)

There is a 100 percent chance of snow in the Oak Ridge area today as cold air moves into the southern Appalachians, turning rain showers into snow by this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The rain will start turning to snow by about 2 to 3 p.m., and the precipitation should be all snow by about 4 to 5 p.m., said Derek Eisentrout, spokesperson for the National Weather Service in Morristown. He said the snow should start tapering off by 7 or 8 p.m.

The Weather Service doesn’t expect a lot of snow in the Oak Ridge area, forecasting about a one-inch accumulation.

A major concern for forecasters is the black ice  that could be on roads tomorrow morning as temperatures plunge into the 20s overnight.

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Rain, flooding through Thursday; Anderson County schools, roads closed

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Irwin Mill Road Flooding

Water rushes over Irwin Mill Road off Sinking Springs Road northeast of downtown Clinton on Wednesday, burying a one-lane bridge on a narrow, winding road under what appears to be several feet of water.

Anderson County schools closed today, and weather forecasters say a stationary storm system could continue dumping light to moderate rain on the region through Thursday, possibly creating more flooding along some waterways and other low-lying areas.

Ten Anderson County roads are closed, impassable, or affected by flooding, authorities said. Among the closed roads are Batley Road at Airport Road and the 300 block of Bush Road in Marlow, Midway Drive and Airport Road in Oliver Springs, Irwin Mill Road in Clinton, and the bridge on Pumpkin Hollow Road at Brooks Gap Road near Interstate 75.

Anderson County dispatchers said Lower Clear Creek Road and Dairy Pond Road in Norris are impassable, and Brooks Gap Road and the 400 block of Old Dutch Valley Road have a lot of water over them.

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Strong, damaging winds possible through this afternoon

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A strong low pressure system moving northeast through East Tennessee and southwest North Carolina and Virginia could produce damaging winds through this afternoon along the foothills and eastern mountains, and some snowfall is possible in the region, forecasters said.

The system could produce strong southerly winds between 25 and 40 mph, and gusts over 70 mph are possible, the National Weather Service in Morristown said.

“As a cold front moves through the region today, cold air will rush in behind it, changing the rain to snow late this afternoon, with some snow showers persisting across the area tonight,” an NWS hazardous weather outlook said. “Light snowfall is possible, especially across the higher elevations of southwest Virginia and far East Tennessee mountains Wednesday night into Thursday.”

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Snow possible today, but not likely on Christmas, forecasters say

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There is a slight chance of snow this morning and again this evening, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The NWS says the chance of precipitation is 20 percent, and that could mean snow before 1 p.m., rain this afternoon, and snow and rain after 5 p.m.

There were very light snow flurries in Oak Ridge  at about 3:30 a.m. today (Friday).

Forecasters do not expect snow on Christmas. The forecast now calls for a 30 percent chance of showers on Christmas Day, with a high near 52.

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Hurricane Sandy brings snow, cold air

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Winter Storm Warning

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for southwest Virginia and the East Tennessee mountains through 8 a.m. Wednesday. (Image courtesy of the National Weather Service)

Snow has already fallen in the Great Smoky Mountains, and temperatures in Oak Ridge and Anderson County are expected to dip into the low- to mid-30s through Friday as Hurricane Sandy moves into the mid-Atlantic and brings cold air to the Southern Appalachians, the National Weather Service said Monday.

The NWS said Hurricane Sandy is expected to make landfall along the central New Jersey coast later this evening or tonight, and produce a life-threatening storm surge, hurricane-strength winds, and heavy snowfall in the Appalachian Mountains.

Forecasters have issued a winter storm warning for southwest Virginia and the East Tennessee mountains through 8 a.m. Wednesday. A winter weather advisory is in effect for parts of northeast Tennessee from 8 p.m. Monday to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Several flights from McGhee Tyson Airport to the northeastern United States have been delayed or canceled today due to the storm.

“This is expected to be the first of many flights inpacted by Hurricane Sandy over the next few days,” the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority said on its website.

National Weather Service forecasters said blizzard conditions are possible at elevations above 3,000 feet in East Tennessee.

The seven-day forecast for Anderson County said rain or snow showers are possible tonight and Tuesday.

The National Weather Service said the heavy snowfall is expected to be dependent upon elevation, with no snowfall or light accumulations in most valleys.

The airport authority said most airlines are waiving flight change fees if passengers rebook by Nov. 4, but each airline is slightly different in this policy “so visit your airline’s site for more specific information.”

Pictures from last week’s hail storm

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Hail on Deck

Large hail falls onto a deck in Oak Ridge on Aug. 1. (Photos by Donato DiGregorio)

An afternoon storm that lashed Oak Ridge on Aug. 1 pounded parts of the city with one-inch-diameter hail.

Meteorologist Jessica Winton said the National Weather Service in Morristown received many reports of hail as big as a quarter, which is “kind of average” over East Tennessee.

Winton said the Weather Service received reports of a few trees down in Farragut from the storm, and one large tree down on the north side of Oak Ridge.

Winds gusted up to 43 mph in Oak Ridge during the storm.

Hail on Grass

Hail peppers parts of Oak Ridge during an Aug. 1 storm.

Oak Ridge School Board member Dan DiGregorio took pictures of the hail on his deck and in his yard.

Dangerous thunderstorms moving through East Tennessee

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The National Weather Service in Morristown has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for several counties in East Tennessee, including Anderson, Morgan, and Roane counties.

The warning remains in effect until 6:45 p.m. The storms are capable of producing quarter size hail and destructive winds with speeds that could exceed 70 mph.

Parts of Oak Ridge lost power Thursday evening, including an area around Oak Ridge Turnpike and Robertsville Road.

The National Weather Service said thunderstorms moving south from the Ohio River Valley this afternoon could produce damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and frequent lightning.

A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect until 11 p.m. for southwest North Carolina and East Tennessee.

Record high temperatures forecast through Monday

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Heat Wave Map

A dangerous heat wave with record high temperatures is expected in East Tennessee through Monday. (Illustration courtesy of the National Weather Service in Morristown.)

A dangerous heat wave is expected to affect the Southern Appalachia region through early next week, with record high temperatures at or above 100-year marks, and oppressive heat indices up to 105 degrees, the National Weather Service said.

The temperature in Oak Ridge at about 5 p.m. Saturday was 104, and a heat advisory remains in effect through 9 p.m. Sunday in Anderson County.

Temperatures could continue to be close to 100 on Sunday and Monday, before dropping to 94 on Tuesday, according to a forecast by the National Weather Service in Morristown.

A strong high-pressure system and mostly dry conditions have led to record temperatures and dangerous heat, the Weather Service said.

Heat index values—a measure of how it actually feels—will be slightly higher than actual high temperatures. Afternoon heat index values could be as high as 107 in East Tennessee.

“Please consider reducing or eliminating strenuous outdoor activities during the heat of the day (late morning through the early evening) and remember to drink plenty of water,” the Weather Service said.

Heat is the No. 1 weather-related killer.

Weather officials said heat illnesses are possible, and people should take extra precautions if they work or spend time outside. Those precautions include rescheduling strenuous activities to early morning or evening, and knowing the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and stroke.

The Weather Service also advised wearing lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible.

Those working outside should schedule frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded place, and 911 should be called if someone has a heat stroke, the Weather Service said.

Cable news television station CNN reported that the heat wave affected 100 million people across the country, and more than 1,000 temperature records have been broken this week.