Residents across East Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and southwest North Carolina faced a veil of dense fog this morning that disrupted starting off the week, according to the National Weather Service Morristown TN. The National Weather Service advisory cautioned that visibility may have dropped to less than a quarter mile, with the added danger of freezing fog that led to treacherous driving conditions, particularly on bridges and overpasses.
With affected visibility near area lakes and rivers rising fog thick as wool, motorists were advised to slow down and maintain a safe following distance. The weather update from NWS Knoxville detailed a cold, misty start, with temperatures just above freezing at 34°F and an expected gradual warm-up to a high near 61 later in the day.
The entire region has steeled itself for what's ahead, considering the weather this week—National Weather Service predicts an unwelcome guest at Thanksgiving gatherings with a "multi-day heavy rainfall event" set for Thanksgiving Day and Friday. Total rainfall could reach 2 inches in certain locales, while "isolated pockets of over 3 inches could occur across the higher terrain."
With colder air bracing the landscape behind the rain, the weather service's outlook is one where the "main concern will be the flooding potential" following the moisture-heavy incursion. The notice implies a dampened holiday spirit, the residents are bracing for the shift from balmy to brisk as the Thanksgiving weekend approaches, as per the National Weather Service.
Everyday life goes on, however, with drivers familiarizing with fog advisories and the National Weather Service not activating its spotter network thus far. The weather patterns pose an ongoing reminder of nature's fickleness, even as fried turkeys and family reunions momentarily distract from the cold, wet blanket set to cover the area during a time of thanks and giving.
