| Nashville Tennessean
A strong winter storm covering much of the United States is expected to bring icy fog, icy drizzle, icy roads and up to six inches of snow to parts of Middle Tennessee. Sunday night and Monday.
The National Meteorological Service warned of slippery conditions on smaller bridges and roads, with low visibility and slippery asphalt, creating problems even on larger and busier roads. Meteorologist John Cohen said the next storm would hit almost the entire middle of Tennessee, with more snow falling in the western half of the region and more ice conditions in the eastern half.
LIVE UPDATES: Winter storm affects road conditions in the middle of Tennessee
Nashville is forecast to have 7 to 10 inches of snow and hail, but 15 inches or more can fall in some areas, Cohen said. The approaching storm is on its way to being the most snowy in Tennessee since January 2016, when it fell 20 centimeters, he said.
“The main attack will start on Monday,” said Cohen. “You will see it filling up around noon or late in the morning and will spread quickly throughout the area in the afternoon.”
Nashville felt the first signs of a storm over the weekend. A cold drizzle fell over much of the city on Saturday and Sunday morning, which Cohen described as a “warning to all of us” about the time ahead.
“We didn’t have much precipitation, just a cold drizzle, but the roads are just frozen,” said Cohen.
All officers in the Nashville metropolitan area are working at least two hours longer than their scheduled shifts to help with weather-related calls. On Sunday, at least 230 accidents with property damage and 40 accidents with injuries were reported in Nashville.
Power outages and tree damage are likely due to ice, the NWS reported.
Icy roads contribute to the accumulation of 21 cars and more than 100 wreckage in Nashville
Icy roads contributed to a pileup of 21 vehicles on Interstate 24 on Saturday morning, which caused only minor injuries but hindered traffic for hours.
On Sunday, the Trousdale County sheriff suffered minor injuries when he skidded on the black ice and overturned his patrol vehicle. More than 100 vehicle accidents occurred in the Nashville metropolitan area by 3 pm – even before the storm really hit – said Tennessee Highway Patrol Lieutenant Charlie Caplinger.
“This is no ordinary snowstorm,” said Caplinger. “The forecast is that a lot of ice will fall before the snow gets here. No matter what type of vehicle you are driving … on the ice, you cannot stop.”
Road conditions should only get worse as the drizzle turns to freezing rain, sleet and snow. Precipitation is virtually guaranteed on Sunday night, so up to a fifth of an inch of ice is expected to accumulate on the outer surfaces.
In preparation, the Tennessee Department of Transportation applied salt to some roads and plans to operate salt trucks and snow plows up to 24 hours a day during the storm, said agency commissioner Clay Bright. The agency will also temporarily expand its road assistance program to cover the entire I-40 between Nashville and Memphis.
Despite these precautions, the best defense against the storm is to stay home, he said.
“If you can stay at home, please stay at home,” said Bright. “We are asking everyone to stay off the roads because of this coming storm. And if you have to be on the road, slow down and give ample space to our equipment operators.”
Snowfall starts Monday afternoon
After a freezing Sunday night, the storm may subside briefly on Monday morning, only to intensify again later in the day.
Freezing rain is expected to turn to snow on Monday. Most snow accumulation in the Midstate will occur on Monday afternoon and evening, NWS reported. A light snowfall is likely to continue on Tuesday.
Temperatures are expected to drop to 13 degrees and not exceed 30 degrees during the winter storm alert that expires Tuesday morning.
Nashville Weather Radar
Brett Kelman is the health reporter for The Tennessean. He can be reached at 615-259-8287 or at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @brettkelman.