Recovery, Cold Mornings, and What’s Next

First off, I hope everyone is finally starting to thaw out, defrost the cars, and take a deep breath after a long and exhausting winter storm. This past week was a lot on all of us. Cold, ice, power outages, stress, and very little sleep. I appreciate the patience, kindness, and trust you all showed during it.

I didn’t get a chance to post a traditional Sunday weekly forecast because the storm demanded full attention, so here it is!

Short-Term Relief and Melting

We finally climbed above freezing, and that has made a real difference. Temperatures reaching into the mid and upper 30s, along with some sunshine, have helped with melting across the county. That process will continue through Thursday as daytime highs remain above freezing.

That said, refreezing can still happen overnight, especially in shaded areas, so continue to use caution early in the morning and late at night.

Fog Concerns Over the Next Few Mornings

One thing that deserves extra attention this week is fog. With lingering moisture, melting snow and ice, light winds, and cold nights, conditions are favorable for fog development during the overnight and early morning hours.

Dense fog can form quickly and drop visibility in a hurry, especially in low-lying areas, near creeks, rivers, and open fields. This can make roads tricky even when there is no precipitation falling.

If you encounter fog:

• Use low-beam headlights

• Slow down and increase following distance

• Be especially cautious on bridges and overpasses

Fog has a sneaky way of catching drivers off guard, so plan a few extra minutes for the morning commute and take it easy.

Snow Chances Friday Into Saturday

There is a low chance for some light snow Friday into early Saturday. This is not shaping up to be a repeat storm and is not an ice storm.

Current data shows:

• Light precipitation potential

• All snow if anything falls

• No sleet or freezing rain signal

• Very low impact for Sumner County

  
  

The chance of seeing half an inch or more of snow is around 10 percent locally. Higher probabilities remain well east of us on the Plateau. Even if snow does occur here, amounts would likely be light and spotty, with most impacts limited to grassy surfaces or brief slick spots.

We will continue monitoring trends, but at this time this is a “heads up” situation, not a reason to panic or stock up on milk and bread again.

The Bigger Story: Prolonged Cold

Behind Friday’s system comes another stretch of cold air. Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing Friday evening and remain there until around midday Monday.

Morning lows will dip into the teens, and possibly single digits at times. Wind chills may fall below zero briefly over the weekend.

This long-duration cold is more impactful than any snow potential.

Please continue to:

• Check on neighbors, friends, and family

• Look out for those still dealing with power issues

• Protect pipes

• Bring pets indoors

Cold like this doesn’t care how tough you are. It wears on people and homes alike.

Warming Trend Early Next Week

The good news is that this cold stretch does not last forever. By Monday afternoon and Tuesday, temperatures begin to recover into the 40s. While still below normal for this time of year, it will be enough to push us back into melting mode and give everyone a break.

Final Thoughts

This week is about recovery. Getting unfrozen. Catching up on sleep. Helping each other get back on our feet. We are not out of winter yet, but we are past the worst of this particular stretch.

As always, my goal is to keep you informed without fear, hype, or noise. Just clear, honest information so you can make the best decisions for yourself and your family.

SumnerSevereWx is free and accessible to everyone. This service is community-funded through Venmo, PayPal, and Patreon by those who choose to support it, and I am deeply grateful for that trust. I am also opening the door to local business sponsorships so this service can remain sustainable and continue to grow.

If you are a business interested in advertising or partnering with SumnerSevereWx, please email mlowe@sumnerseverewx.net.

Thank you for being here, for supporting one another, and for sticking with me through the quiet days and the storms. I will continue working day and night to serve this community.

We’ve got this, Sumner County.