Knoxville weather is serving up a concoction of fog, showers, and potential thunderstorms. Earlier today, the mercury hovered around 68°F with an equal measure of humidity, painted in broad strokes of fog that limited visibility to a mere 0.50 mile. As dawn breaks, the clouds begin to clear, making way for a hesitant sun and temperatures reaching around 88°F, as per the National Weather Service.
The calm will shift to southwest winds, starting gently at 5 mph and increasing to 10 mph by afternoon, with gusts up to 20 mph. There’s a 60% chance of light rain, with less than a tenth of an inch expected, though thunderstorms could bring heavier showers. Tonight, the chance of rain and storms rises to 80%, with temperatures dropping to around 68°F.
On Wednesday, expect more showers throughout the day, along with some thunder. A bit of fog will linger between 9 am and 11 am. Winds will shift to a gentle 5 mph from the south, with rain expected to increase, accumulating around three-quarters to one inch. The evening brings an 80% chance of showers, cooling down to about 66°F as northeast winds ease slightly.
Thursday's narrative doesn't stray far from showers and thunderstorms, continuing the week's theme with a persistent cloud cover and highs plateauing near 76°F. Those northeast winds persist. The narrative for Thursday night plays out with rains and an eastern wind whose whispers could reach 20 mph. The chance of precipitation is at 90%.
The week continues with rain on Friday, especially before the afternoon ends. East winds will shift south and may gust up to 35 mph. The weekend brings a brief break with a mix of sun and clouds and a 20-30% chance of rain, but expect more showers and possible thunderstorms by Sunday night.
The backdrop for this extended performance of weather comes courtesy of an ominous note from the National Weather Service, which hints at the possibility of a tropical system venturing into the Tennessee Valley and Southern Appalachians by week’s end. While details remain hazy, there's talk of potentially heavy rainfall and flooding, particularly for the Plateau, southeast Tennessee, and southwest North Carolina.