Bundle up! Light snow and colder weather are on the way
A light dusting of snow hit Chattanooga Monday evening, and the flurries will continue today.
Off and on, the snow will fall from this morning through the early afternoon, WRCBTV Chief Meteorologist Paul Barys said. But don’t expect a hunker- down, light- the- fire, stay- indoors- all- day kind of storm. Those in the mountains around Chattanooga should see no more than an inch of snow, those in the metro valley area no more than 1/2 an inch.
“I warned you last week that cold air was heading our [way] for this coming week,” Barys wrote on WRCB-TV’s website. “And Old Man Winter is right on schedule!”
Barys said another, heavier snowfall could hit next week.
Today, even without much snow, temperatures are certainly expected to cause an impact. Barys said the highs should be in the mid- 30s this morning. But wind from the west will make you feel like you’re living in 20-degree temperatures.
Then, this evening, the lows will drop into the mid-20s, with wind making it feel colder still.
“By [Tuesday] night,” Barys said, “wind chills will be in the single digits and teens. It’s going to be very cold, as far as wind goes. But the flurries could be fading out.”
The rest of the week is not expected to feature snow, and temperatures will rise slightly as the days go by.
On Wednesday, the high will be in the low to mid-30s on a breezy afternoon. Thursday and Friday, meanwhile, should be dry, with temperatures in the 40s.
Lyle Wilson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Morristown, Tenn., office, said the snow today is caused by a front of low atmospheric pressure, extending down through Southeast Tennessee. He said there is some moisture in the air with low disturbances.
Still, he agrees with Barys: Don’t expect an epic snowball fight this afternoon. Wilson predicts the snowfall will not rise above 1/2 an inch in most parts of town. “It looks pretty light,” he said. Contact staff writer Tyler Jett at tjett@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6476.