Winds will finally die down later today and tomorrow day is looking nice withg highs around 55 and little wind. This is a great time to prepare for the Arctic blast we are forecasted for this weekend into most if not all of next week.

Let me say this, I am not going to talk about snow amounts. There is a pretty good certainty it will snow early next week, and maybe as soon as Sunday, but, we are still too far out to talk about how much.

What we will talk about are the bone-chilling temperatures that will be arriving next week with no real relief until the following week.

Here is what we know, or think we know at the writing of this article:

• Thursday night through Friday night we will see all the seasons with rains, storms ( not expected to be severe though some may be strong), big winds, and a wintry mix to end it all.
• Early Saturday morning temperatures will dip below freezing. So, travel may be impacted on side roads, overpasses, and bridges.
• Saturday will be clear but breezy and cold
• Sunday will start the same as Saturday, but, clouds will roll in.
• Sunday night through Tuesday , there is a possibility of snow each day. Add to that Sunday night temps will drop to teens and not get above freezing thru Wednesday.
• Thursday the 18th, we might see a small uptick in temps and possibly get above freezing, but, this may also be accompanied by a wintry mix.
• Next weekend looks to remain cold and it could be Monday the 22nd before we begin to truly thaw out.

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What To Plan For

The following are tips for planning ahead. Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best.

• Traffic delays- It’s Tennessee, and any significant snowfall followed by an arctic blast will cause problems
• Based on the above stock up on groceries, meds, etc.
• Make sure pipes are wrapped, and outer hose valves are covered
• Keep all phones, etc. charged. Any chargers need to be fully charged also.
• If your house struggles to be well heated, at night open cabinet doors under sinks and in bathrooms and let the water trickle
• Check on the elderly and make sure they have what they need and are aware of the situation
• Get a warm place for your animals. If they have to be outside, extra straw bedding, and blankets if possible. Check their water each morning and evening.
• Use common sense. If it looks too bad to be out, stay home.

There are a lot of variables including timing. But, we are very confident that the coldest air we have seen in a while will arrive this weekend to early next week and remain for an extended period.

We will update traffic and weather as we know more and watches and warnings will be posted as they become available.