4/7/09 Snow Totals, Photos and Freeze Warnings in this Outlook!

Thanks for the great photos of the snow in our area! VIEW THEM HERE:

If you have any, send them to pictures@wdef.com.

We have had anywhere from a dusting of snow to a half inch on grassy areas and elevated objects on Signal, Sand and Lookout Mountains. Along the Plateau and the Mountains to the North and west of Chattanooga have seen up to an inch or more, but melting.

The NWS has included a few reports from the area below:

"NORTHEAST TENNESSEE...

JOHNSON COUNTY 2 INCHES AT MOUNTAIN CITY

CARTER COUNTY 2-4 INCHES AT ROAN MOUNTAIN 1/2-1 INCH (LOWER ELEVATIONS)

UNICOI COUNTY 2-4 INCHES AT SAMS GAP, TRACE-1 INCH (LOWER ELEVATIONS)

SMOKY AND SOUTHERN TENNESSEE MOUNTAINS...

CADES COVE 2 INCHES

MOUNT LECONTE 10 INCHES

TELLICO TROUT HATCHERY 3 INCHES IN MONROE COUNTY ELEVATION 2400 FEET

ACROSS THE PLATEAU AND NORTHERN AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE VALLEY...SNOWFALL RANGED FROM A TRACE TO UP TO 1 INCH ON GRASSY SURFACE...MAINLY HIGHER TERRAIN."

Smoky Moutain Webcam 1(Look Rock)

Smoky Mountain Webcam 2 (Purchace Knob)

For the rest of today, look for a partly to mostly cloudy sky as the snow flurries and raindrops come to an end. Winds will continue from the northwest at 10-20mph making it feel like we are in the 20s and 30s this afternoon even though highs reach the low to mid 40s. The sky will clear and winds will remain light through the night. This will allow temperatures fall quickly, many below freezing most of the night. The NWS has issued a FREEZE WARNING for the entire viewing area. This is a call to action to protect tender vegetation. Low temps will range from the low to upper 20s by sunrise.

Ways to protect your plants:

Wednesday will be quiet with a warm-up expected. Many locations will reach the low to mid 60s with a high around 70 on Thursday. Plenty of sunshine for Wednesday but clouds will be on the increase for Thursday. Showers and even a few storms are likely for Friday and again late on Easter Sunday and Monday of next week. Severe weather is not likely in either case however, we will watch Late Sunday for the possibility of stronger storms.

Right now, the 5-Day rainfall totals paint about a half inch over the Chattanooga area. Temperatures will remain around average through the weekend with highs in the upper 60s to around 70.

See you soon,

Brian