Knoxville wakes up to clear skies this Saturday morning, with readings in the upper 20s and a quick warm-up on tap, with highs near 60°F this afternoon. Clouds will thicken as the day goes on, and rain is expected to move in late Saturday night. The wettest stretch arrives Sunday, Feb. 15, when steady rain could complicate commutes and outdoor plans, so it is a good idea to keep an umbrella handy if you have weekend errands.
When Rain Will Arrive
Rain is expected to begin after 11 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, and become widespread during the day on Sunday, Feb. 15. The National Weather Service in Morristown now reports "high confidence" in widespread totals around a half inch and notes there is a better-than-even chance that some spots, mainly on the northern Cumberland Plateau and north of Knoxville, could see an inch or more, according to the latest forecast discussion. Sunday’s high should land in the low 50s with light northeast winds. The steadiest, heaviest bands are expected from Sunday morning into the afternoon.
What To Expect And Commute Tips
The Sunday morning drive is likely to be wet and slower than usual, with slick roads and pockets of standing water in low-lying areas where rainfall briefly picks up. Outdoor workers, event organizers and hikers should plan on a soggy day and may want to shift activities to Saturday afternoon or push them later into the week. Forecast models show stronger winds aloft that could mix down as gusts across the higher terrain Sunday morning, although forecasters are not issuing broad wind advisories for the valleys at this time. It is still smart to secure loose outdoor items and build in extra travel time on Sunday.
Into Next Week
Once the low pressure system moves east early Monday, a warming ridge is expected to build in, and most of next week looks dry and noticeably milder. Highs should climb back into the 60s by Tuesday, then into the upper 60s to low 70s by mid to late week, with only low chances for rain late next week. Keep checking updated forecasts if you have outdoor plans beyond Friday, Feb. 20.
This piece updates our earlier forecast; see our Feb. 13 background article on the sunny Friday setup for more context on the warm spell ahead of this weekend's system. We will post further updates if any watches or advisories are issued.
