01/21/2026
From Wate weather about upcoming weekend weather predictions
MIDDAY WED 1/21/26
The current timing and thoughts of how this event plays out:
As we've been saying, this system will NOT be "ALL" snow for our region. There will be multiple types of wintry weather through the timeframe, but there will still be travel concerns for most/all areas.
*Saturday Morning: Moisture moves in from west to east and begins as light snow for most/all areas (Temperatures start in the low to mid 20s around sunrise and climb to upper 20s by midday)
*Saturday Afternoon/Evening: Snow mixes with/changes to sleet and some freezing rain from south to north through sunset (Temperatures will be in the upper 20s midday, climbing to near freezing in the afternoon)(Some areas in the Foothills, like Gatlinburg, will mix with rain at times as temperatures look slightly warmer here)
*Overnight Saturday: Periods of freezing rain continue, mixing with sleet at times, area-wide, and travel conditions worsen
⚠️SATURDAY could end up being the "worst" day for travel due to mixed/icy precipitation totals
Sunday Morning: Temperatures will start near 32° at sunrise with a freezing rain/sleet mix still possible, but some areas farther south could end up being all rain as surface temperatures look slightly warmer
Sunday Afternoon: Temperatures will hover back and forth below/above at times for most areas with an overall high around 34°. This could help add a bit more rain back into the mix and "possibly" ease some travel issues (this is more likely to happen along and south of I-40)
Sunday Evening: The moisture tapers off, most likely as some light snow, as colder air (at all levels of the atmosphere) moves back in. This is where some additional travel issues could become possible as we quickly drop below freezing near sunset. Any "wet" roads could certainly freeze quickly as we fall into the teens for most areas overnight
⚠️SUNDAY travel issues could worsen again close to/after sunset as Arctic air moves in
BOTTOM LINE:
This won't be an ALL snow event, but we do expect everyone to see travel issues due to sleet/snow/freezing rain mixes.
So, don't focus so much on "how much" you'll get, but rather the potential impacts from this storm.
***We could still see some changes with this system over the next few days (we're still 3+ days out), so make sure to check local weather forecasts.
