East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia – Hazardous overnight travel conditions continue across the southern Appalachian region as a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through early Saturday morning.
According to the National Weather Service in Morristown, a Winter Weather Advisory is active until 7 a.m. EST Saturday for portions of the east Tennessee mountains and southwest Virginia. Snowfall totals are expected to range from 2 to 4 inches at elevations above 2,500 feet, with up to 6 inches possible on the highest mountain peaks, generally above 5,000 feet.
Wind gusts of up to 45 miles per hour are expected overnight, increasing the risk of blowing snow, reduced visibility, and isolated tree damage, particularly along exposed ridges and mountain gaps. Gusty winds may also contribute to scattered power disruptions where branches are weakened.
Travel impacts are most likely along U.S. Highway 441 through the Great Smoky Mountains, U.S. Highway 321, U.S. Route 11W, and mountain roadways serving Sevier, Blount, Unicoi, Johnson, Carter, Greene, Wise, Russell, and Washington counties. Higher-elevation roads and mountain passes may become slick quickly, especially before sunrise.
Communities affected include Gatlinburg, Elkmont, Cades Cove, Mountain City, Unicoi, Erwin, Hampton, Big Stone Gap, Norton, Abingdon, and Bristol, Virginia, along with surrounding rural and high-terrain areas.
The National Weather Service cautions that bridges, overpasses, and shaded mountain roads are especially prone to icing. Drivers traveling overnight or early Saturday are urged to slow down, allow extra stopping distance, and avoid sudden maneuvers.
For commuters, park visitors, and early-shift workers, the most hazardous conditions are expected through the pre-dawn hours, with gradual improvement possible after sunrise as winds ease and snow showers diminish.
Residents are encouraged to check road conditions by dialing 511 and to limit unnecessary travel in higher elevations until the advisory expires.
