TEMA Tuesday 6pm Update

This is TEMA’s 6 p.m. update on the State of Emergency in Tennessee. This will be the final update today, unless there are significant developments this evening. Please note the Forecast section as we do have the possibility of winter precipitation moving back into Tennessee Wednesday. Be sure to check your local forecast for weather developments and potential hazards. -Dean

CURRENT SITUATION
Tennessee remains at a Level II-State of Emergency, since 3 p.m., CST on Feb. 21, 2015. The original elevation to a Level III – State of Emergency for this winter storm was at 9 p.m. on Feb. 16, 2015.

A number of state agencies were present in the Upper Cumberland region today to do emergency clearance of debris, support shelter missions, conduct welfare checks and work traffic issues.

State agencies are also working in West and Middle Tennessee to check roads, assist counties and taek care of life safety issues.

There is a potential for more winter precipitation moving into Tennessee Wednesday.

WEATHER FORECAST
West Tennessee will be in the high 30’s and partly cloudy. There is a ninety percent chance of snow Wednesday evening.

Middle Tennessee-A Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect from noon Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday with the possible snow accumulation of 1-2 inches. Low 40’s and partly cloudy today and low 20’s tonight; the rest of the week will remain in the high 30’s. A Winter Storm Warning will be in effect at noon for Middle Tennessee counties along the Alabama border. Wayne, Lawrence, Giles east to Grundy could see 2 to 4 inches of snow.

East Tennessee-Winter Storm Watch will be in effect from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday. Weather will remain partly cloudy with high in the 30’s today with lows in the 20’s tonight. There is a possibility of showers Wednesday evening with an accumulation of 1-3 inches, or more. Winter Storm Warning in effect as of 4 p.m. Wednesday.

POWER OUTAGES
There are 32,600 customers without power in Tennessee over six counties: Cumberland (16,000); Fentress (2,700); Meigs (9,000); Overton (1,000); Putnam (1,600); White (1,311); Morgan (1,000)

SHELTERS
The American Red Cross has six shelters open in five counties with 224 occupants:
•Overton – Crawford, Wilson Elementary, 10 occupants
•Putnam – Cookeville, First United Methodist Church, 36 occupants
•Putnam – Monterey, First Baptist Church, 75 occupants
•Cumberland – Crossville, Cumberland Fellowship Baptist Church, 146 occupants
•White – Sparta, National Guard Armory, 36 occupants
•Fentress – Jamestown, First Baptist Church, 8 occupants

FATALITIES
Tennessee has 30, confirmed, weather-related fatalities., Please note: This is the only information TEMA has regarding fatalities: county, gender, age and cause. If you need more information, please contact the local Emergency Medical Service, Medical Examiner, Emergency Management Agency or law enforcement of the county in which the fatality occurred.
•Benton County – One (1) fatality: 64-year-old female, motor vehicle accident
•Campbell County – Two (2) fatalities
– 76-year-old male, weather related
– 32-year-old-male, weather related
•Claiborne County – Two (2) fatalities
– 63-year-old male, weather related
– 53-year-old male, weather related
•Cumberland County – One (1) fatality: 83-year-old male, carbon monoxide poisoning
•Hamilton County – One (1) fatality: 63-year-old male, hypothermia related
•Haywood County – One (1) fatality: 40-year-old female, motor vehicle accident
•Henry County – Two (2) fatalities:
– 64-year-old female, hypothermia related
– 69-year-old male, hypothermia related
•Hickman County One (1) fatality: 67-year-old male, dialysis patient, unable to get to treatment
•Knox County – Four (4) fatalities:
– 30-year-old male, motor vehicle accident
– 75-year-old male, fire
– 68-year-old female, fire
– 47-year-old male, fire
•Moore County – One (1) fatality: 73-year-old male, hypothermia
•Overton County – One (1) fatality: 38-year-old female, motor vehicle accident
•Polk County – One (1) fatality: 79-year-old male, weather related
•Roane County – One (1) fatality: 44-year-old male, hypothermia related
•Sequatchie – One (1) fatality: 85-year-old male, hypothermia related
•Sevier – Two (2) fatalities,
– 70-year-old female, weather related;
– Male (age unknown), weather related
•Shelby County – Three (3) fatalities:
– 48-year-old male, hypothermia related
– Male (age unknown), hypothermia related
– (Demographics unknown), hypothermia related
•Sumner County – One (1) fatality: Male, 60s, weather related
•Wayne County – One (1) fatality: 82-year-old male, weather related
• Weakley County – One (1) fatality: 82-year-old male, fall, hypothermia related
•Williamson County – Two (2) fatalities:
– 34-year-old female, motor vehicle accident
– 10-year-old male, motor vehicle accident

State Agencies working the storm response include: Commerce & Insurance, Environment & Conservation, Correction, Finance & Administration, General Services, Health, Human Services, National Guard, Tennessee Commissioner on Aging, Tennessee Division of Forestry, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Department of Transportation, Tennessee State Parks, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Volunteer Tennessee. Response support is also being provided from the American Red Cross, Civil Air Patrol, FEMA, National Weather Service, Salvation Army, Tennessee Valley Authority and Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster.

TEMA’s mission, www.tnema.org, is to coordinate preparedness, response and recovery from man-made, natural and technological hazards in a professional and efficient manner in concert with our stakeholders.