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As frigid temperatures settle in across Middle Tennessee, snow is keeping roads slick and students home from school for at least a few more days.
Temperatures are not expected to climb above freezing until Thursday, the National Weather Service said. Wind chills are expected to be at or below zero Tuesday and Wednesday night.
The winter storm warning has expired, but a wind chill advisory will remain in place until 10 a.m. Wednesday, forecasters said.
‘Please go slow’: MNPD reports to only 10 wrecks as of 10 a.m.
As temperatures and wind chills remain at or below zero, crews from the Office of Emergency Management and first responders remain ready to assist Nashvillians in need.
Spokesperson Joseph Pleasant said crews Monday checked on 165 vehicles and assisted nearly 40 people. They handed out 105 blankets, 44 hats, 56 pairs of gloves and 16 pairs of socks.
Metro Nashville Police have responded to nine non-injury wrecks and only one wreck with injury as of 10 a.m.
“While conditions on interstates and major thoroughfares have improved, neighborhood and side streets remain snow covered and slippery,” Pleasant said. “If you must travel today, please go slow, and allow plenty of distance between other vehicles.”
TDOT: Road conditions continue to be hazardous
Roads are only going to get worse in these frigid temperatures, the Tennessee Department of Transportation said.
TDOT has responded to hundreds of incidents, many involving more than one vehicle.
In Middle Tennessee, TDOT relocated 275 vehicles, 82 drivers in West Tennessee and 200 in East Tennessee were helped in the last 24 hours.
County health departments closed for the day
All local County Health Departments are closed Tuesday because of the weather, the Tennessee Department of Health said.
They will reopen as conditions improve, the department said.
For anyone who had an appointment, the health department will contact you to reschedule for a later date.
Gov. Bill Lee takes a break to enjoy the snow
No one is exempt from the lure of a snowy hill side and an empty sled. Not even Gov. Bill Lee.
“There’s nothing like sledding at the farm on a Tennessee snow day,” Lee said.
Dressed in a camoflage snow suit, Lee pulled up the hood over his hat, sat down on a sled with three other people and a child and held on as they slid down the hill.
Flight status at Nashville International Airport up in the air
Monday was marred by delays, cancelations, and an Federal Aviation Administration ordered ground stop. Tuesday doesn’t look much better.
Over 100 flights were delayed or canceled Monday.
As of 8 a.m., 13 arriving flights were delayed but 21 were canceled. Nearly 30 outbound flights showed as delayed with 16 outright canceled.
Nashville, Middle Tennessee snowfall totals
While the National Weather Service is not yet done tallying totals, they released some preliminary measurements for snowfall across the region.
Here are some of those totals as of 8 a.m.
- Nashville International Airport: 7.6 inches
- Hendersonville: 8.1 inches
- Antioch: 6.7 inches
- Mt. Juliet: 6.8 inches
- Lebanon: 6.75 inches
- Dickson: 8 inches
For more snow totals:How much snow fell in Nashville, Middle Tennessee Sunday night into Monday?
Nashville tonight: 2 degrees
Middle Tennesseans should brace for extreme cold Tuesday, meteorologists warn.
“We’ll see highs in the teens, everywhere,” said Mark Rose, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Nashville. Skies will generally be overcast, though, “we may see some breakout sun during the afternoon.
“But it won’t be enough to melt anything.”
In Nashville on Tuesday, the forecast calls for a high of 18 with an overnight low of 2.
“Outlying areas could see temperatures below 0, but the Metro Nashville area will stay just above,” Rose said. Sunshine is expected to return to Nashville and Middle Tennessee on Wednesday, and “some melting is expected to occur,” he said.
Metro Council postpones meeting
The Metro Nashville Council has postponed it’s regular meeting to Jan. 23 because of the winter weather.
School Closures
Kids across Middle Tennessee are getting at least one more day off school.
Over a dozen school systems, including Metro Nashville Public Schools, Williamson, Wilson, Robertson and Rutherford, announced Tuesday and Wednesday closures.
For a complete list of county school closures click here.
Yearly average of snow falls on Nashville in one day
Nashville’s yearly average of snow fell on the city in less than 24 hours.
The National Weather Service reported Monday around noon that Nashville has had upwards of 6 inches of snow and counting.
The average yearly snowfall from 1991 to 2020 was 4.7 inches, according to the weather service. From 1871 to now, the average is 8.1 inches.
Nashville Electric Service to suspend disconnections
Nashville Electric Service announced no one’s power will be cut off for nonpayment through Wednesday.
“We will continue to monitor the forecast through the end of this week and provide updates as needed,” NES said.
Need assistance?
Metro Nashville will be extending the hours of operation for its cold weather overflow shelter as the storm impacts those who are unhoused.
The shelter, which opened 7 p.m. Sunday, will remain open until 10 a.m. Wednesday and is located at 3230 Brick Church Pike in Nashville.
Couples and pets are welcome, and pets must be crated.
Metro Social Services will continue monitoring the weather to determine if a further extension is needed and asks that those in need of shelter first go to the Nashville Rescue Mission, 639 Lafayette St., and Room In The Inn, 705 Drexel St.