No relief from cold: Up to 4 inches of snow could arrive today, too

With another frigid day anticipated in Chattanooga and the possibility of up to 4 inches of snow today, public schools in Hamilton County and much of the surrounding area were closed for the fourth straight day.

Temperatures dipped to 8 degrees in Chattanooga early Thursday, with a wind chill of minus 7.

A low of 10 was expected this morning.

Today could also bring a true winter storm, with snow accumulation starting around noon and sleet possible in the evening, National Weather Service meteorologist Jessica Winton said. Accumulations of 2-4 inches are possible, Winton said, with ice on top of that. And temperatures won’t warm past freezing until Saturday, she said.

The winter woes that began Monday have kept thousands of students and teachers out of class all week, made travel hazardous, has TVA working at its peak to keep homes and businesses warm, and resulted in two weather-related deaths in the Chattanooga area.

A 64-year-old apparently homeless man was found dead Tuesday on 11th Street in Chattanooga, and an 85-year-old man died in Sequatchie Valley, both from hypothermia-related causes, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.

In all, 10 people have died around the state of weather-related causes, primarily either vehicular accidents or hypothermia, according to TEMA.

Blame the bitter cold on a trough of freezing air that has settled across the U.S. in a U-shaped pattern, Winton said.

“That’s bringing all the cold air from the north down through the U.S.,” Winton said.

With a wind chill advisory in effect, Faith Patterson was feeling the cold as she delivered mail Thursday on the streets of downtown Chattanooga.

“When it’s this cold outside I put on as many [clothes] as I can find,” said the U.S. Postal Service worker, laughing. “I’m wearing long-johns, two pairs of socks, gloves, an undershirt, my work shirt, a scarf, and a toboggan.”

But cabin fever drove some people outside in search of something to do.

Natalie Cady decided to take her four school-aged children to the Creative Discovery Museum on Thursday.

She said her kids had not been in school all week, and she was getting desperate to find indoor activities to keep them occupied.

“The kids’ energy does not stop with the weather,” she said.

Reliable Heating and Air President Clayton Cornell said homeowners have reported losing heat, and many have called in a panic after noticing ice on their outdoor units. As average temperatures throughout the Tennessee Valley Authority’s coverage region hovered at 7 degrees, TVA set a monthly record for power demand. Other businesses reported cold-related calls.

“We haven’t had a glut of emergencies, it’s mostly just ‘my unit’s not keeping up,'” Cornell said.

John Rutter, marketing director for Ace Hardware of Chattanooga, said the cold requires stores to plan ahead and order additional emergency heaters.

“We stocked up and have been selling more heaters than normal,” he said. “But we still have some in stock.”

Rutter said because there was little snow, shovels have not been flying off the shelves – but anytime snow is forecast, hopeful children rush in to buy sleds.

Burst pipes, another concern when temperatures drop, might not reveal themselves until the thermometer reads above freezing again, Scenic City Plumbing owner Jeff Logan said.

“When it warms up, that’s when the calls really start pouring in,” Logan said.

Contact staff writer Claire Wiseman at cwiseman@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6347. Follow her on Twitter @clairelwiseman.