Oak Ridge Today

Arctic cold expected, starting Saturday night through at least mid-week

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Bitterly cold air with prolonged sub-freezing temperatures are expected early next week. From Saturday night, Dec. 30, 2017, through at least mid-week next week, temperatures will be at or below freezing across much of the area. (Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown)

Bitterly cold air with prolonged sub-freezing temperatures is expected early this week. From Saturday night, Dec. 30, 2017, through at least mid-week next week, temperatures will be at or below freezing across much of the area. (Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown)

 

Bitterly cold air with prolonged sub-freezing temperatures is expected early this week, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

From Saturday night, December 30, through at least mid-week this week, temperatures will be at or below freezing across much of the area, the National Weather Service said.

The forecast in Oak Ridge calls for a low of 18 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday night, a high of 30 on Sunday, a low of 15 on Sunday night, a high of 25 on Monday, and a low of 9 on Monday night. The high on Tuesday is forecast at 29. [Read more…]

NWS: Colder than normal temps forecast, bitter cold expected later

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Bitterly cold air is on the way this weekend. Temperatures 10 to 20 degrees below normal and dangerously low wind chills are expected, especially across the higher elevations. Remember to dress warmly in layers, provide shelter for pets and animals, and take precautions around your home or business to avoid frozen pipes. (Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown)

Bitterly cold air is on the way this weekend, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown. Temperatures 10 to 20 degrees below normal and dangerously low wind chills are expected, especially across the higher elevations. Remember to dress warmly in layers, provide shelter for pets and animals, and take precautions around your home or business to avoid frozen pipes. (Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown)

 

High temperatures today will be about 10 degrees below normal, and bitterly cold air is on the way this weekend, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

Lows in the area around Clinton and Oak Ridge are forecast to be between about 16 and 18 degrees Fahrenheit today (Wednesday, December 27).

Highs are forecast between 34 and 36, with mostly sunny skies today and mostly clear skies tonight.

Temperatures are expected to remain cold this week, with some slight warming on Thursday and more Friday, with colder weather again on Saturday and Sunday and a slight chance of snow on Sunday. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge, Red Cross, others prepare to provide shelter for those without power

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City of Oak Ridge Seal

The snow may be over for this week, but the coldest days are yet to come. The Oak Ridge Fire Department will coordinate with the local Red Cross office and other organizations to provide shelter for those who lose power.

The National Weather Service has forecast temperatures in the teens to possibly as much as 10 below zero over the next 48 to 72 hours.

“Residents are encouraged to use extreme caution if you must go outside,” the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release. “Dress in layers and minimize your exposure to the cold temperatures. Also, bring your pets inside.”

The Oak Ridge Fire Department reminded citizens to follow the manufacturer’s instructions if you are using portable heaters to heat your home or apartment. [Read more…]

Officials recommend staying off roads unless travel is essential

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Oak Ridge Roads on Feb. 16, 2015

South Illinois Avenue was a sloppy, slushy mix of snow, ice, and water early Monday evening.

 

Roads in Anderson County are ice-covered, and driving conditions are extremely hazardous, said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy.

“We have already received reports of accidents due to slick roads,” Lucas said. “We are asking everyone to please stay at home and not to travel unless absolutely necessary.”

The roads in Oak Ridge appeared to be a sloppy, slushy mix of sleet, ice, and snow. There were reports in Anderson County and Oak Ridge of roads that were frozen or impassable. [Read more…]

Not many weather-related issues in Anderson County, sheriff’s department says

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The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department said it has not had many weather-related issues during the past few days as snow fell in East Tennessee and temperatures dipped again into the teens—and even lower.

“A few reports of traffic-related incidents such as cars in the ditch, but only one accident that had minor injuries,” Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said in an e-mail to reporters.

Lucas said most primary roads and state routes are clear, but many rural roads are still icy and snow-covered. [Read more…]

Frigid temps lead to high electrical demand; TVA asks for reduced consumption

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Frigid temperatures are causing high demand for electricity across the Southeastern United States, the Tennessee Valley Authority said Thursday.

As a result, TVA is asking all electric power consumers—including residential, commercial, and industrial customers—to voluntarily reduce their use of electricity until Friday afternoon.

“Any reductions in electricity use can help ensure a continued supply of power to essential services throughout TVA’s seven-state service territory and avoid interruptions of service,” the public utility said in a press release. “All available generating resources are being used to meet the peak power demand.” [Read more…]

Snow, bitter cold from Sunday night through Tuesday; some schools closed

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Weather forecasters are calling for snow and bitterly cold conditions across the region from Sunday night through Tuesday, and they said Monday night could be the coldest night in more than 10 years.

The National Weather Service in Morristown said a cold front will approach the area Sunday night, and rain will transition to snow in the late evening, with arctic air moving in behind the front.

Low temperatures from Monday night into Tuesday will range from -6 degrees Fahrenheit to around 5 degrees across the region. Dangerously cold wind chills are expected Monday through Tuesday morning. Wind chills will drop to 15 to 25 degrees below zero across the plateau and mountains, and between 5 and 15 degrees below zero over the valley. [Read more…]

ORNL devises recipe to fine-tune silica rod diameters

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By controlling the temperature of silica rods as they grow, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory could be setting the stage for advances in anti-reflective solar cells, computer monitors, TV screens, eye glasses, and more.

The goal of fabricating fixed-size one-dimensional silica structures and being able to precisely control the diameter during growth has long eluded scientists. Now, Panos Datskos and Jaswinder Sharma have demonstrated what they describe as the addressable local control of diameter of each segment of the silica rod.

“In nature, many intricate structures develop and grow in response to their environments,” said Sharma, a Wigner Fellow and corresponding author of the Angewandte Chemie International Edition paper that outlines the process. “For example, in addition to genotype, shell shape is also controlled by the local environment in many oysters and scallops.” [Read more…]

Electricity sales down with mild temperatures; heavy rainfall boosted low-cost power, TVA says

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Norris Dam

The Norris Dam in Anderson County can produce electricity for the Tennessee Valley Authority. (Photo courtesy TVA)

KNOXVILLE—The Tennessee Valley Authority reported Monday that electricity sales were lower in the third quarter of fiscal year 2013 than for the prior period due largely to mild temperatures, while heavy rainfall boosted low-cost hydroelectric generation.

“Both sales and revenues were down in the third quarter. This was offset largely by our efforts to reduce operating costs,” TVA President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Johnson said. “We are focused on making sure TVA lives within our means to continue to keep rates low for our customers and the people of the Tennessee Valley.” [Read more…]

UT study predicts extreme climate in eastern United States

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From extreme drought to super storms, many wonder what the future holds for the climate of the eastern United States. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville does away with the guessing.

Results show the region will be hotter and wetter.

Joshua Fu, a civil and environmental engineering professor, and Yang Gao, a graduate research assistant, developed precise scales of cities that act as a climate crystal ball, seeing high-resolution climate changes almost 50 years into the future.

The study found that heat waves will become more severe in most regions of the eastern United States and that both the Northeast and Southeast will see a drastic increase in precipitation.

[Read more…]