Snow And Single Digit Temps In Chattanooga Forecast

Snow is in the forecast for Chattanooga early next week along with single-digit temperatures.

That comes after another bout of heavy rain and high winds on Friday.

Temperatures are due to drop to a low of 8 degrees on Tuesday night when the weather will be "blustery."

AAA is bracing for extremely cold temperatures and the possibility of high winds and inclement weather in parts of the state this weekend through early next week.

“We’re urging motorists to follow the advice of local authorities and stay home if weather conditions begin to deteriorate,” said Megan Cooper, spokesperson for AAA – The Auto Club Group. "If you must get on the road, be sure to have at least a half tank of gas, significantly reduce your speed and stay off closed roads.”

As wintry weather approaches the area, EPB officials said, "We are fully staffed and prepared to respond to any damage that may occur. In the event of an outage, the EPB Smart Grid will reduce disruptions by isolating damage and rerouting power instantly whenever possible. The Smart Grid will also pinpoint any locations where damage occurs so our teams can be on site as quickly as possible to restore any outages."

The following tips can help customers prepare for cold weather and help keep bills a little lower:

• In cold weather, start your thermostat at 68 degrees and decrease by 1º daily to find your lowest comfortable setting.
• Wear layers and use energy-efficient electric blankets to stay warm.
• Reverse ceiling fans to rotate clockwise.
• Keep exterior doors, windows and garage doors closed as much as possible.
• Keep window coverings open on sunny sides of your home for a free heat source. Close them on shady sides.
• Turn off everything when you leave a room.
• If you have a fireplace, make sure the damper or flue is closed so air doesn’t escape.

Important warning: Stay away from downed power lines and poles and report them by calling EPB at 423-648-1372.

Here is the latest local forecast: