Sunday: Mostly sunny. Chilly. Highs: low 40’s. Winds: W @ 5 MPH.

Overnight: Mostly clear. C0ld. Lows: mid 20’s. Winds: SW @ 5 mPH.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day / Monday: Sunny, dry, chilly. Highs: low 40’s. Winds: WNW @ 5-10 MPH.

Overnight: Partly cloudy. Cold. Lows: mid/high teens. Winds: NW @ 5 MPH.

Tuesday: Sunny, dry, cold. Highs: high 30’s. Winds: Light & Variable.

Overnight: Mostly clear. C0ld. Lows: mid 20’s. Winds: SW @ 5 MPH.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny. Chilly. Highs: high 40’s to low 50’s. Winds: S @ 5 MPH.

Overnight: More clouds. Scattered showers. Lows: low 30’s.

Our annual look at the winter season is here with the exclusive WDEF-TV News 12 Winter Weather Outlook. I’ll outline the details on what NOAA’s forecasts have to offer, why you shouldn’t actively pass along ‘too good to be true’ winter weather forecasts (the “sparkly snowmaps of doom” are not as trustworthy as the wishcasters would like you to believe) and more on monitoring both winter weather and severe storms, both of which can happen at this time of the year. All that and more with @Wdefnews12 Winter Weather Forecast on the What I Want To Know Show.

https://youtu.be/Sul66z7kO2M?si=3QVtklm8Lp2jC_rr

NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory #TornadoTales Public Survey: 

Please answer this survey if a storm in or near your area made you concerned that a tornado could affect you. This can include:

• A tornado impacted you directly
• You were warned that a tornado could impact you
• You were in or near a strong storm that made you concerned about tornadoes

Additional information:

• You must be 18 years old or older to participate in this survey
• Your responses will remain completely anonymous

https://inside.nssl.noaa.gov/tornado-tales/ 

The National Weather Service is soliciting comments on the potential use of Bluesky for disseminating information

The NWS is soliciting comments through January 26, 2026, on the potential utility of Bluesky in the NWS mission. Bluesky is a social media
platform that can provide a way for the NWS to share posts providing additional information that is complementary to official NWS products and
outreach information. For a limited time, NWS will be engaging in a prototype activity to examine the potential utility of this social media platform to support operations.

Find out more here: https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2025/pns25-50_comment_Bluesky_at_NWS_HQ.pdf

and here: https://nsdesk.servicenowservices.com/api/g_noa/nwspc/res2/d664da9797aa62148881bb7de053af4f

This prototype effort will utilize a national NWS Bluesky account, with posts being publicly visible via the following NWS Bluesky account page:
https://bsky.app/profile/nws.noaa.gov

CBS NEWS: Major climate research center in Colorado on Trump administration chopping block

“The Trump administration intends to dismantle one of the world’s leading climate research institutions over what it said on Tuesday were concerns about “climate alarmism,” despite opposition to the plan.

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), established in 1960 as a federally funded research and education hub in Boulder, Colorado, will be broken up, White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought said on social media.

Any of its operations deemed “vital,” such as weather research, will be moved “to another entity or location,” he said.

“This facility is one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country,” Vought said.

The plan was first reported by USA Today. It said moves to dismantle NCAR will begin immediately.

Kevin Trenberth, a distinguished NCAR scholar, told The Washington Post breaking up the laboratory would result in a major loss of scientific research.”

Weather radios for Deaf people? How does that help?

Weather radios are the fastest way to get weather warnings and information in your home 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but they do more than just tell you the forecast. They also alert you when weather warnings and watches are issued by the National Weather Service. The radios play very loud noises, which are meant to be heard by hearing people across their homes or to wake them up when they are asleep. Some of these radios have Deaf-friendly capabilities though. Many types of radios have attachments like bed shakers and strobe lights to them in case you can’t hear the alarm. They also have text displays that light up at night so you know what kind of weather warning it is.

The National Weather Service recommends everyone has a weather radio in their home, including the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities. The attachments available can help turn the radio into an alarm that could wake you up when you need it most. The video below explains in ASL and English, how to use and program a weather radio with these attachments.

https://www.weather.gov/wrn/dhh-safety

“I have spent over 30 years studying meteorology and climate. We take a lot of physics, calculus, thermodynamics and other complex subjects. The atmosphere is a fluid within a rotating frame of reference. Such complexity is far beyond fourth grade lessons about cumulus clouds or cold fronts. As I look at the despair caused to those in the Southeast like farmers, homeowners and businesses, I wish we could control hurricanes. Many families lost loved ones or property. Many communities of color, poor rural areas and regions with high elderly concentrations receive a disproportionate punch from storms like Helene or Milton. Gosh, I wish we did have the technology to spare them such angst and despair. We don’t.”

Via Forbes Magazine (may require subscription to site)

Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd, a leading international expert in weather and climate, was the 2013 President of American Meteorological Society (AMS) and is Director of the University of Georgia’s (UGA) Atmospheric Sciences Program

Got #weatherpix to share for our HEP Heating #WeatherWindow #PictureOfTheDay? E-mail them to Pictures@WDEF.com.

Who can participate?

This is a community project.  Everyone can help, young, old, and in-between.  The only requirements are an enthusiasm for watching and reporting weather conditions and a desire to learn more about how weather can affect and impact our lives.

What will our volunteer observers be doing?

Each time a rain, hail or snow storm crosses your area, volunteers take measurements of precipitation from as many locations as possible (see equipment).  These precipitation reports are then recorded on our Web site www.cocorahs.org. The data are then displayed and organized for many of our end users to analyze and apply to daily situations ranging from water resource analysis and severe storm warnings to neighbors comparing how much rain fell in their backyards.

Who uses CoCoRaHS?

CoCoRaHS is used by a wide variety of organizations and individuals.  The National Weather Service, other meteorologists, hydrologists, emergency managers, city utilities (water supply, water conservation, storm water), insurance adjusters, USDA, engineers, mosquito control, ranchers and farmers, outdoor & recreation interests, teachers, students, and neighbors in the community are just some examples of those who visit our Web site and use our data.

https://cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=application

NWS Morristown Virtual SKYWARN Spotter Training
“In this virtual class, learn about hazardous weather and how to report significant weather to the NWS. Reliable reports help us fulfill our mission to protect life and property! Pass the Final Exam at the end to receive credit.NOAA/NWS Morristown, TN”