This weekend is going to get a soggy start and end with some snow showers as the next weather system moves through the area Friday and Saturday.
National Weather Service meteorologist Tim Doyle said the precipitation was scheduled to arrive in the area last night with a 20 percent change of snow and rain in the early morning hours.
“The precipitation will be coming in pretty late,” Doyle said. “It will start as snow and change over to rain on Friday.”
Any accumulations that occurred Friday morning were expected to be light, and would then be erased by the rain that would set up over east Tennessee.
However, Doyle said Friday night and Saturday morning snow would be returning. He said snow was more likely in the morning Saturday before changing over to rain in the lower elevations. Snow showers are expected to continue through Saturday afternoon in the highest elevations of Carter County.
Snow accumulations are expected to be around an inch for the lower elevations and possibly up to three inches in the mountains. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 30s for lows and upper 30s and low 40s for highs.
Even if the snow does accumulate, Doyle said it will not be a major event for the county.
“Because the temperatures have been warmer lately, it will be a wet snow,” Doyle said. “It will probably not be much of a concern on the roads because it has been so warm. If it accumulates, it will be outside of the roads; on cars and the grass. This will not be a major snow for the area.”
The area will see a better chance of accumulation Sunday night into Monday when the next round of winter weather makes an appearance.
The precipitation will once again start as rain and snow on Sunday, but will turn to all snow Sunday night and Monday.
“We may have more problems Monday night because it will be colder and it will be more likely the snow will stick to the roads,” Doyle said.