Weekend winter storm brings uncertainty for snowfall amounts

Winter is dealing another unpredictable hand to the region, but all bets are on seeing some snowfall. However, estimates for the amount of snow have varied. As of Tuesday, National Weather Service of Morristown Meteorologist Charles Dalton said the quantity of the ivory-colored ice is still not certain – though the chances of it blanketing the ground are likely. "The confidence levels are really increasing that there's going to be a pretty significant winter storm that affects the southern Appalachian region Saturday into Sunday, but there's still a fair amount of uncertainty in exactly where the heaviest amount of precipitation is going to set up and what the resulting snowfall amounts are," he said. Dalton said the winter storm predictions could see changes day-by-day, but the likelihood of the region seeing a decent amount snowfall is high. "Basically from like Knoxville northward through our Virginia counties, there's anywhere from a 50 to 60% chance that you see at least eight inches," Dalton said. "There's pretty good odds you're going to see at least four to six inches of snow at this time, and pretty decent odds that you'll see more than that. It's kinda hard to nail down." Dalton explained the influence from the storm is from a cold wind blowing from Canada into the southern region. Along with the potential for snow, Dalton said temperatures will get colder as well, with the highs on Saturday predicted to be around freezing and then dropping into the 20s during the nighttime hours. For Sunday, he said temperatures get even colder. "If there's a lot of snow on the ground, it may struggle to make it above 30," Dalton said. "Sunday night, with all that snow on the ground, you're looking into single digit lows." Dalton added Monday is expected to see the mid-20s as high temperatures and single-digits in the night for the lows – something he said will be affected by the snow. "That's one of the key takeaways from the storm, is it looks like a pretty significant winter weather event, and if we get that kind of snowfall, with the temperatures we're expecting the impacts are going to linger into early next week for sure," he said. Though the winter season has made the region uncertain of her snowy plans, Dalton said preparations and provisions for the temperatures are important in counteracting the season's unpredictability. "People need to think about making sure they have the ability to heat their house safely," he said. "Make sure you've got supplies, make sure you've got warm clothes and ways to heat your house. You might be stuck at home for a few days, so make sure you've got some groceries and food stocked up. It's not going to be Armaggedon – we're not going to be locked in our houses for two weeks or anything, but make sure you've got enough supplies to make it through a few days, if the power goes out or whatnot."