Oak Ridge Today

More snow possible Friday night, Saturday; heavy snow forecast to north, east

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Snowfall-Amounts-Friday-Saturday-Jan-21-2016

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:54 a.m.

More snow is possible in Oak Ridge on Friday night and Saturday, and the forecast calls for heavy snow in areas to the north and east, including northeast Tennessee and western North Carolina, as Winter Storm Jonas turns into a major snowstorm Friday.

A National Weather Service map of expected snowfall amounts shows that four to 12 inches of snow are possible in parts of upper East Tennessee and at higher elevations. Snowfall amounts in and around Asheville, North Carolina, could vary between eight and 24 inches. A blizzard watch has been issued for Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and New York City.

Expected snowfall amounts in Anderson County vary between one and four inches. (Anderson County is the county to the northwest of Knoxville in the map above.)

A winter weather advisory is in effect for Anderson, Knox, Loudon, and Roane counties, among others, from 7 a.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Sunday. It applies to Clinton, Kingston, Knoxville, Lenoir City, Maryville, Oak Ridge, and Sevierville. [Read more…]

National Weather Service: Snow, ice-covered roads through Thursday morning

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Pennsylvania-Avenue-Snow-Jan-20-2016

Pennsylvania Avenue west of New York Avenue is pictured above late Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 20, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:07 a.m.

There had been some improvement on main roads in Oak Ridge late Wednesday afternoon but many side streets remained snow-covered and slippery, and the National Weather Service said snow and ice-covered roads will remain through Thursday morning.

State Route 62 or East Tri County Boulevard in Oliver Springs was still snow-covered early Wednesday evening and was slippery, especially driving south, up the hill toward Oak Ridge.

In Oak Ridge, Illinois Avenue was in the best condition late Wednesday afternoon, and Oak Ridge Turnpike and some well-traveled side streets, including Hillside Road and a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue, still had some snow but were passable. Still, side streets were slippery. One small car needed a push from two men just to get to the curb while trying to get up a small hill on West Outer Drive near North Illinois Avenue. [Read more…]

Man dies after car slides off road in Solway

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Knox County Sheriff Badge

A man died after a car slid off the road and hit a tree in Solway on Wednesday morning, authorities said.

The man has been identified, but his name will not be released until relatives have been notified, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office said.

A male passenger is being treated at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, but he has not been identified yet.

Officers on the scene said the car slid off the road due to weather and speeding, the KCSO said. Neither man was wearing a seatbelt. They were in a 1996 Toyota Corolla.

The fatal crash occurred at 9:40 a.m. on Solway at Guinn.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Copyright 2016 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Roads becoming slipperier as snow continues to fall

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Turnpike-Administration-Road-Snow-Plow-Jan-20-2016

Roads in Oak Ridge are becoming slipperier as snow continues to accumulate. Above, an Oak Ridge snow plow is pictured at the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike and Administration Road at about 11 a.m. Wednesday morning, Jan. 20, 2016. Heavy snow continued to fall about 1.5 hours later. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 2:30 p.m.

Roads in Oak Ridge became slipperier on Wednesday morning as snow continued to fall.

There were slick spots on well-traveled roads such as New York Avenue, Tyler and Administration roads, and even Oak Ridge Turnpike at about 11 a.m. Wednesday. And a heavy snow continued to fall about an hour later.

Oak Ridge Today drove around central Oak Ridge for about an hour between 10 and 11 a.m. Wednesday while taking pictures, and the roads became noticeably slicker as snow accumulated. We measured about three-quarters of an inch of snow in a parking lot at the Oak Ridge Civic Center at about 10:15 a.m. A few hours later, there was a little more than two inches on the ground on a city side street.

Most people appeared to be driving cautiously Wednesday morning as schools and some government offices and businesses decided to close. [Read more…]

Clinton City Schools also closed Wednesday

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Clinton City Schools will also be closed on Wednesday, January 20, because of the weather, which includes a forecast for a few inches of snow across East Tennessee.

Schools in Anderson County and Roane County have also announced they will close, and so have other school districts in East Tennessee.

Oak Ridge Schools have not announced any plans to close, but Oak Ridge Today will post any updates when we receive them.

See the seven-day forecast near Oak Ridge here. [Read more…]

See the Oak Ridge Winter Weather Plan here; includes info on snow, ice removal priorities

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The Oak Ridge Central Services Complex is pictured above after a previous snow. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

 

The City of Oak Ridge has a winter weather plan. You can read the 2015-2016 Winter Weather Plan here.

The plan includes information on how snow and ice removal are prioritized on streets. City-maintained streets have been prioritized into four categories according to volume of traffic, or public health and safety factors.

  • Level 1: State highways and hospital routes
  • Level 2: Arterial streets, feeder streets to state highways and known trouble spots such as hills and shady areas.
  • Level 3: Collector streets, streets providing access to subdivisions, and the main connector streets at the neighborhood level.
  • Level 4: All other local neighborhood streets are categorized as Level 4. Many of these streets have on-street parking and provide minimal turning space for snowplows. The decision and ability of the Public Works Department to clear Level 4 routes is based on a number of factors, including current and predicted weather conditions, safety for parked vehicles, salt/chemical reserves, and the threat of additional inclement weather.

[Read more…]

With snow in forecast, Roane County Schools closed Wednesday

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Roane County Schools will be closed Wednesday, when a few inches of snow are possible in East Tennessee.

Anderson County Schools are also closed.

Oak Ridge and Clinton have their own school districts, and neither has announced plans to close.

The National Weather Service in Morristown said winter weather is expected across the region on Wednesday, and again later this week. [Read more…]

Anderson County Schools closed Wednesday due to snow forecast

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Anderson County Schools will be closed Wednesday, January 20, due to a winter weather advisory from the National Weather Service that includes a prediction of snow, officials said.

The Central Office will follow the inclement weather policy and procedure, a statement said.

The National Weather Service in Morristown has forecast one to three inches of snow across the area, and a winter weather advisory is in effect from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday as a fast-moving storm system is expected.

See the seven-day forecast near Oak Ridge here. [Read more…]

Snow: One to three inches possible in Oak Ridge

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Winter-Weather-Advisory-II-Jan-19-2016

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

There is a 20 percent chance of snow showers after 1 a.m. Wednesday, and snow is likely before 3 p.m. Wednesday, forecasters said.

A new snow accumulation of one to three inches is possible in Oak Ridge, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The forecast calls for a 70 percent chance of precipitation on Wednesday, with snow likely, followed by a mix of rain and snow.

A winter weather advisory is in effect from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday as a fast-moving storm system is expected to bring one to two inches of snow across the area by Wednesday evening, the NWS said. [Read more…]

Frigid temperatures forecast for tonight; let faucets drip, bring pets inside, NWS says

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Cold-Temperatures-Jan-18-2016

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Temperatures could be frigid in the Tennessee Valley tonight, dropping to between 5 and 15 degrees, the National Weather Service said. Forecasters advised residents to let their faucets drip overnight and bring pets inside.

Also, make sure any space heaters are kept away from anything that could catch fire.

The National Weather Service in Morristown said prolonged outdoor exposure could lead to frostbite and hypothermia. [Read more…]

Weather: 24 non-injury crashes, 12 trees down, four roads under water

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High Water

From Friday through Wednesday morning, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department responded to several weather-related incidents due to the heavy rain, authorities said.

There have been 24 reported crashes, none of which involved injury, Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said. There have been 12 reports of trees that have fallen across roadways.

As of Wednesday morning, there were three roads in the county that were impassable due to high water: Irwin Mill Road off Sinking Springs Road, Bacon Springs Road in the Marlow community, and Airport Road near Oliver Springs. Offutt Road at Offutt Spur Road in the Medford community is also flooded.

“Motorists are advised to use caution while driving even after the rain ends today,” Lucas said. “The saturated ground may cause more trees to fall, and water may continue to rise in low-lying areas near creeks and streams.”

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Copyright 2015 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Harvest Hike on Saturday postponed due to weather

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Wet Days Oct. 2, 2015

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

The Harvest Hike scheduled for Saturday, October 3, on Melton Lake Greenway has been postponed due to weather.

Officials said the National Weather Service in Morristown has issued flood advisories for East Tennessee starting Saturday morning with a 90 percent chance of heavy rain throughout the day and Sunday.

“We are postponing the Harvest Hike and will set a reschedule date next week,” officials said.

The hike is sponsored by the City of Oak Ridge Wellness Committee and Oak Ridge Schools Coordinated Health.