A state of emergency has been declared for Tennessee ahead of another winter storm system that could bring snow, ice and strong winds to the region this weekend.
Tennessee’s emergency management office issued the alert Thursday as weather forecasters predicted the storm to hit today, with 4 to 6 inches of snow expected in parts of the state.
Chattanooga could see 1-3 inches of snow tonight, while higher elevations may receive up to 5 inches, especially along the Southern Cumberland Plateau in Marion, Sequatchie, Grundy and Bledsoe counties, according to Mary Black, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Morristown, Tenn. Those areas are now under a “heavy snow” warning.
Plummeting temperatures in the upper 20s will create hazardous road conditions through Saturday, Black said.
Freezing rain in Georgia’s northern counties is expected to begin between 1-7 a.m. today, the National Weather Service said. Up to a quarter inch of ice is expected to accumulate in parts of North Georgia. A winter storm warning covers about a dozen Northwest Georgia counties.