The National Weather Service in Morristown has issued an urgent weather advisory for dense fog this morning across parts of southwest North Carolina, east Tennessee, and southwest Virginia. Visibility could rapidly drop to a dangerous quarter of a mile or even near zero in certain areas. Authorities are advising commuters to drive with caution and allow extra time to reach destinations.
According to the National Weather Service, dense fog conditions are expected to persist through early to mid-morning. Drivers are urged to "Take it slow, use low-beam headlights, and leave plenty of space between you and other vehicles." Such precautions can help to reduce the risk of accidents on the road as the region recovers from a frontal passage, which led to the reduced visibility.
Looking beyond today, forecasters predict a significant drop in temperatures going into the early part of next week, with Monday's highs set to be nearly 20 degrees below normal. Additionally, there's a forecast for light snow in the higher elevations of the mountains on Sunday night and into Monday. While the forecast mentions low confidence in accumulating snow in lower elevation areas north of Knoxville, conditions are nevertheless being monitored closely.
The forthcoming weather shift could indeed prove to be an abrupt transition from relatively mild conditions, with potential rain showers tonight, to the envisaged colder temperatures. The National Weather Service has cautioned that "Some light snow in lower elevation areas north of the Knoxville metro area will be possible too, but confidence in accumulating snow is low at this time." Veterans Day is forecasted to bring sunnier skies and a high near 45 degrees before warming up later in the week with highs around 60 degrees.
For now, the National Weather Service has not activated spotters but is keeping the situation under surveillance. The public can expect updates as more information becomes available or if conditions change.
