As the holiday season descends upon the city of Knoxville, the weather follows suit with a mix of rain, snow, and clear skies leading up to Christmas Day. According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Knoxville, today's forecast includes a 40 percent chance of showers primarily before 2 p.m., accompanied by climbing clouds and a high of about 44 degrees. Southwest winds are expected to range from 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
As nighttime falls, the chance of snow showers before 1 a.m. holds at a 20 percent likelihood, with the weather potentially affecting travelers, especially those hitting the roads in higher terrains. "Travel may become hazardous across roads that traverse the higher elevations of southwest Virginia, and East Tennessee by late Friday afternoon or early evening," the NWS warns. The low temperature for the evening is forecasted to be around 31 degrees, and the west wind is supposed to calm as the evening progresses.
The weekend weather seems to be a calmer affair with Saturday showing partly sunny skies and a high near 39 degrees, while Saturday night is expected to turn mostly clear with a low around 24. Sunday promises sunshine and a high close to 41, leading into a clear night with temperatures dropping to about 26 degrees, as detailed in the detailed forecast by NWS, Knoxville.
Looking ahead to Monday and the week of Christmas, conditions are forecast to be sunny with highs nearing 50 degrees in the run-up to the holiday, however, Christmas Day might dampen holiday spirits slightly, with a 40 percent chance of showers and highs around 56 degrees. The chance of precipitation and overcast skies continue into the week, echoing the mixed pattern of weather, that has come to characterize this year's season.
In addition to the standard weather updates, the NWS has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for parts of southwest North Carolina, east Tennessee, and southwest Virginia. Areas in higher elevations are cautioned to expect snow, with possible accumulation and, travel disruptions extending through Saturday morning. "Snow accumulation and hazardous traveling conditions will continue in the higher elevations of the mountains through Saturday morning," the outlook states. Spotters are encouraged to report snow totals Friday afternoon through Saturday morning.
