The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has initiated a pre-treatment of roadways across East Tennessee to prepare for snowy conditions. Spokesperson Mark Nagi states that state highway trucks are treating 1-81 South in Washington, Greene, and Hamblen counties. They have also treated I-26 West near the Tennessee-Virginia state line.
Video: @myTDOT crews are pre-treating roadways across East Tennessee, including this crew working on I-81 South in Washington, Greene and Hamblen counties. #myTDOT #WorkWithUs pic.twitter.com/X5BAfsqxgn
— Mark Nagi (@MarkNagiTDOT) January 13, 2026
A strong cold front will be moving into the East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Southwest North Carolina region on late Wednesday evening, January 14, 2026. According to the NWS, the cold front will bring widespread precipitation and colder temperatures, changing to snow by early evening. Snowfall is expected to be around 0.5 inches here in the northern valley, mainly on grassy and elevated surfaces. On Thursday, January 15, 2026, you can expect light flutters in the morning, and a low chance for scattered snow showers around noon.
The highest chance for significant snow accumulations remains in higher elevations of East Tennessee. The highest elevations of the East Tennessee mountains have a 50-60% chance of at least 6 inches of snowfall, according to NWS Morristown.
