Knoxville, Tennessee – A surge of bitter winter air will sweep across East Tennessee and southwest Virginia starting Sunday morning, bringing dangerous wind chills and a prolonged cold stretch through Monday. The cold will be especially severe in the mountains, but even valley locations face near-zero wind chills overnight.
The cold intensifies quickly Sunday as strong northwest winds usher in sharply colder air. Wind chills will fall into the single digits during the day and drop near zero by Sunday night in the Knoxville metro. In higher elevations of the Smokies and Cumberland Plateau, wind chills could plunge to 10 below, with isolated values as low as 15 below on the highest peaks late Sunday night.
According to the National Weather Service office in Morristown, a Cold Weather Advisory is in effect from Sunday morning through 10 a.m. Monday for much of East Tennessee and southwest Virginia. A second advisory begins later Sunday afternoon for additional areas, including the Knoxville area, Chattanooga Valley, and parts of southwest North Carolina. Counties impacted include Knox, Sevier, Blount, Anderson, Roane, Jefferson, Hamblen, Sullivan, and Washington, along with mountain zones near Gatlinburg, Cades Cove, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Travelers along I-40, I-75, I-81, and U.S. 441 should prepare for bitter cold, especially if stranded or traveling through higher elevations. According to emergency management officials, residents should limit time outdoors, dress in layers with hats and gloves, and fully cover exposed skin. Outdoor pets should be brought inside, and pipes at homes and cabins should be protected before Sunday evening.
Heating demand will spike across the region. Residents are urged to use space heaters safely, keep them away from flammable materials, and check on elderly neighbors before the coldest air arrives.
Temperatures begin a slow recovery Monday afternoon, but cold nights linger into midweek.
