Oak Ridge Today

Snow possible Saturday night

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Road crews on Friday prepared roads for possible winter weather, including a potential snow, on Saturday, March 11, 2017. This picture was taken on Wisconsin Avenue on Friday afternoon, March 10. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

Road crews on Friday prepared roads for possible winter weather, including a potential snow, on Saturday, March 11, 2017. This picture was taken on Wisconsin Avenue on Friday afternoon, March 10. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

On Friday, crews prepared roads for possible winter weather this weekend in Oak Ridge and East Tennessee, potentially including snow on Saturday.

The National Weather Service in Morristown said winter will return this weekend with snowfall expected Saturday night across most of the region. Snow accumulations of one to three inches are possible across the Tennessee Valley and Cumberland Plateau, and three to six inches are possible in the Great Smoky Mountains. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge recreational facilities, library closed Saturday; AC govt. offices close early Friday

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Note: This story was updated at 1:20 p.m.

Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks facilities and the Oak Ridge Public Library will be closed on Saturday, January 23, due to the forecasted winter weather, officials said.

This closure includes the Oak Ridge Civic Center, the Public Library, the Scarboro Community Center, and the Senior Center.

At this time, officials plan to reopen city facilities on Sunday, January 24, at normal operating hours, a press release said.

The Anderson County Courthouse and other county government offices closed early, at 1 p.m. Friday, due to winter weather already moving into Anderson County.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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Tennessee declares State of Emergency due to major winter weather forecast; state offices closed

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Snowfall Amounts Friday to Saturday Jan 21 2016 II

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Note: This story was updated at 10 a.m. Jan. 22.

Tennessee officials declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to the weather forecasts of a major winter weather system expected to move into West Tennessee late Thursday evening and overnight, and gradually cross the entire state through Saturday.

State officials called it a Level III State of Emergency. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency made the recommendation for a State of Emergency to Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam on Thursday afternoon. State officials activated the Tennessee Emergency Management Plan.

A Level 3-Declaration of State Emergency describes an event or period when a serious emergency has occurred or the situation is deteriorating rapidly, and public warnings are being issued. There are five levels in the declaration of state emergencies. They range from normal operations to catastrophic disasters.

On Friday morning, Tennessee officials announced that state offices will be closed Friday due to severe weather.

Here is more information from a press release: [Read more…]

Schools in Oak Ridge, AC, Roane, Clinton closed again Thursday; county offices also

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

Schools in Oak Ridge, Anderson County, Clinton, and Roane County will be closed again Thursday, January 21, because of the winter weather and hazardous road conditions.

“Please stay warm and if you must travel, please do so safely,” Roane County Schools said.

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank said county government will also be closed Thursday. [Read more…]

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

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Snow-Oak-Ridge-Central-Services-Complex

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…]

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…]

Oliver Springs, other state tournament games postponed

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Murfreesboro Snow Ice on March 5, 2015

Ice covered about two inches of snow in Murfreesboro on Thursday morning, and the Oliver Springs Lady Bobcats state quarterfinal game has been postponed to Friday morning. (Photo courtesy RoaneSports.com)

 

The Oliver Springs Lady Bobcats had been scheduled to play in a state quarterfinal game in Mufreesboro this morning (Thursday morning), but that game has been postponed to Friday morning.

All other TSSAA state basketball tournament games scheduled for today have also been postponed due to extremely hazardous road conditions. The Thursday schedule will resume at 11 a.m. Central time Friday (12 p.m. Eastern) in order to allow extra time for road conditions to improve in the morning.

Friday’s scheduled semifinal games will be played on Saturday beginning at 1:30 p.m. Central due to the Middle Tennessee State University’s women’s basketball game that is scheduled at 10 a.m. Saturday’s scheduled championship games will be played on Sunday. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools could make up snow days on four Wednesdays

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

Oak Ridge Schools could make up two snow days by having students attend school for a full day, rather than being dismissed early, on four Wednesdays in March and April, officials said. That plan hinges on state approval of a three-day waiver that Tennessee school systems can request because a state of emergency that was declared during the winter weather in the second half of February.

Tracey Beckendorf-Edou, superintendent of teaching and learning, said Oak Ridge Schools used eight snow days this year. She said that’s the most anyone can remember the school system using. Students didn’t go to school at all on those days.

Oak Ridge had three snow days built into its schedule. Without a waiver, that would leave five snow days that have to be made up. But if Oak Ridge receives a three-day waiver from the state, that would leave a two-day deficit. [Read more…]

After days of delays, Oak Ridge boys advance, girls eliminated

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Wildcats Tee Higgins Dunk against Lenoir City

Sophomore Tee Higgins (5) led all Wildcats with 18 points, including three dunks and two three-pointers. (Photos by Melissa Livesey)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:57 p.m.

After days of delays because of winter weather, the Oak Ridge boys’ basketball team advanced to the regional semifinals on Wednesday, while the girls were eliminated from the playoffs. The Wildcats walloped Lenoir City 81-37, while the Lady Wildcats lost to Farragut 57-17.

Oak Ridge, which was the number one seed from District 3, will move on to play either Heritage or Halls in the Region 2 semifinals, although it’s not clear when because of the weather. The semifinal game could be played as early as Friday or as late as Sunday.

Wednesday’s game at home at Wildcat Arena was the only boys’ game in Region 2. Oak Ridge hasn’t played since Valentine’s Day, or 11 days, mostly because of the weather. [Read more…]

Weather: County Trustee will accept in-person, postmarked tax payments through Monday

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Rodney Archer

Rodney Archer

Anderson County Trustee Rodney Archer understands citizens’ frustrations and concerns about being able to pay their property taxes on time, a press release said.

“With county offices being closed much of last week, and again yesterday, because of inclement weather and dangerous road conditions, it has made people nervous about being able to pay their property taxes by the February 28 deadline,” Archer said Wednesday morning. “The inclement weather that’s predicted for tonight doesn’t help that.”

The National Weather Service is predicting a 40 percent chance of snow today after 4 p.m., with increasing chances overnight, mainly between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. New snow accumulation of one to three inches is possible. A chance of snow continues through Thursday as well. [Read more…]

Wednesday closings, delays: Anderson, Roane, Clinton, Oak Ridge

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Snow Sweeper at Oak Ridge High School

A tractor with sweeping equipment helps remove snow from the Oak Ridge High School parking lot on Tuesday. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Anderson County Schools will be closed Wednesday, February 25, due to the snow received overnight and this morning. The Central Office is also closed.

Clinton City Schools will be closed on Wednesday due to winter weather conditions.

Oak Ridge Schools will start two hours late on Wednesday, weather permitting and with no roads refreezing, but will dismiss at the regular dismissal time—not the typical Wednesday dismissal time. [Read more…]