Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly has directed the city’s first responders to prepare for a winter storm that meteorologists say is heading toward Chattanooga. The forecast is for 1-3 inches of snow for Chattanooga and up to six inches for high elevations like Bledsoe County and Sequatchie County.
The National Weather Service has warned of a significant winter storm that could impact the Chattanooga area early Saturday morning, city officials said.
If the storm lands as expected, heavy rainfall could soak roads before turning to ice overnight. The storm is then predicted to cover the ice with a layer of snow in the early hours on Saturday, particularly at higher elevations.
City officials said, "In instances such as this, the city does not pretreat the roads with brine — a mixture of salt and liquid that can protect roads from icing — because the rain would simply wash it away. Instead, staff from the city’s Department of Public Works will wait for the precipitation to stop before they begin salting roads early Saturday morning."
“If the storm hits as expected, attempting to drive on a bed of ice covered with snow could be extremely hazardous, even if you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle” said Mayor Kelly. “Please wait for our first responders to treat the roads before you attempt to drive, particularly if you live at a higher elevation where the roads are more likely to freeze over.”
The city has about 5,000 tons of salt on hand, and Public Works officials are confident that they will have more than enough to weather the storm. Officials have requested that motorists avoid driving near city vehicles during the road-treating process for safety reasons.
Residents who must travel should take an extra flashlight, food and water in their vehicle in case of emergency, per the National Weather Service.
The Chattanooga Community Kitchen on 11th Street will open up its cold weather shelter through the weekend.