Tennessee – A damp chill clings to the air across Middle Tennessee this morning, the kind that signals change ahead. While skies over Nashville start mostly cloudy and calm, a developing southern system is poised to bring freezing rain and slick travel conditions by Thursday night into Friday morning.
According to the National Weather Service in Nashville, a light rain-to-ice transition could occur between 8 p.m. Thursday and 3 a.m. Friday, especially in colder rural areas north and east of the city. Temperatures near the freezing mark may allow a thin glaze of ice to form on bridges, elevated roads, and windshields before sunrise.
Even a light coating can cause early hazards on I-65, I-40, and I-24, where shaded overpasses cool first. Commuters are urged to plan extra time, avoid sudden stops, and check local road conditions before heading out.
By Friday afternoon, the system clears out and temperatures rebound into the upper 40s, ending the freezing risk. The weekend then brings a calmer stretch—mostly sunny skies and highs near 50°, a brief warm reprieve before another cold push early next week.
Meteorologists describe this pattern as “a classic December flip,” where warm Gulf air meets entrenched cold from the north. “Most of Middle Tennessee will stay rain, but a few degrees difference could mean ice,” forecasters cautioned.
Five-Day Outlook:
• Thursday: Mostly cloudy, high 43°, chance of evening rain/freezing rain.
• Friday: Cloudy, high 48°, icy early, then clearing.
• Saturday: Partly sunny, high 50°.
• Sunday: Partly sunny, high 51°.
• Monday: Mostly cloudy, high 52°.
