Snow could make driving in Nashville dangerous
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Nashville's updated winter storm response will once again be put to the test this week, with a combination of snow and extreme cold that could hamper travel for days.
Why it matters: A winter storm warning is in effect for most of Middle Tennessee through Wednesday morning. Multiple inches of snow are possible before the morning commute, and driving conditions are expected to be dangerous.
- Bitter cold is expected to settle in later Wednesday evening. Windchills could sink below zero.
- Schools and offices throughout the region announced closures ahead of the storm.
State of play: The National Weather Service reports 2–3 inches of snow are expected in Nashville, but accumulation could be higher to the northwest.
- Clarksville could see as much as 6 inches of snow, per the NWS.
The big picture: Metro revamped its snow response after a particularly ferocious storm last year. The city expanded its fleet of snowplows and added another 800 miles of local roads to the snow routes that crews are expected to clear.
- The new response plan debuted last month to positive reviews. But this time around, temperatures are expected to remain near or below freezing for the rest of the workweek. The bitter cold could make it harder to clear snow and ice.
What he's saying: "Every winter storm is different, and very low temperatures on Thursday and Friday will make roads more difficult to clear this week," Mayor Freddie O'Connell said in a statement from the Nashville Department of Transportation.
- "Nashvillians still need to stay weather-aware and exercise patience."
By the numbers: City crews have pretreated more than 2,400 miles of roads on those designated snow routes.
- The Tennessee Department of Transportation, which is in charge of interstates and state routes, reported using nearly 430,000 gallons of brine to pretreat roads on Tuesday.
🚛 Fun fact: Smaller state trucks can carry up to 1,000 gallons of brine at a time, according to a TDOT spokesperson. Larger "Super Soakers" carry as much as 4,500 gallons.
What's next: NDOT is ready to deploy 40 snowplows to clear roads as needed. Avoiding nonessential travel and keeping roads clear helps the plows move more quickly.
📸 Share your view: We want to see the snow day through your eyes.
- Send your photos of the winter wonderland to [email protected]. We might share some of our favorites in an upcoming newsletter.