LIVE UPDATES: Yes, another winter storm is headed here. Things are changing by the minute (2024)

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Believe it or not, East Tennessee is under another winter weather advisory today. (It's Thursday, Jan. 18 in case you've lost track. We definitely have.)

Just for clarity's sake, this warning comes on top of the storm that blanketed our part of the country with snow this week and ushered in a blast of arctic air. Yes ... it's a new warning with its own set of troubles headed our way.

The National Weather Service says "mixed precipitation" of snow and rain will start at 7 p.m. tonight and last through 7 a.m. Jan.19. That means up to an inch of snow, plus ice, and wind gusts up to 35 mph.

New snowfall in the Great Smoky Mountains could reach 4 inches.

Get ready for the roads and sidewalks to get even more slippery. And those dangerously cold wind chills will return after sunset.

No, we are not making this up.

Keep checking back here for the latest cancellations, openings, forecasts and maybe some bright spots to highlight along the way. 😊

Knoxville road conditions are better, but could get worse again overnight

Right as road conditions around Knox County have improved thanks to salt, plows and a little sun, efforts could be offset by another wave of winter weather. Roads could ice over again this evening, the National Weather Service warns.

Crews had the main roads plowed before today (drivers can see actual pavement instead of packed snow) and were moving on to secondary neighborhood streets. Hilly spots are still dangerous.

Officials asked for patience as roads could get very icy again overnight and trucks have to start over.

Knox County and Knoxville are each separately responsible for maintaining their own roads.

Here's what officials had to say about their progress (this story will be updated as we hear more).

University of Tennessee campus closed Friday and first day of classes is delayed

In-person classes have been canceled at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville for Jan. 19. UT has been closed all week from the storm.

Online classes will continue as usual, and students living on campus will have food accomodations from UT dining.

In a decision that affects far more students and faculty, administrators announced today the first day of classes for the spring semester, Jan. 22, has also been canceled.

An alert said the delay will give students the flexibility to travel safely to campus. Classes will start Jan. 23.

East Tennessee snow has defined border, satellite shows

A satellite image posted by the National Weather Service in Morristown shows a striking border between the parts of East Tennessee that are still covered in snow and those that got only rain this week.

Knox County, which got anywhere from 6.5 inches to 9.9 inches of snow this week, is close to the eastern border of the white wall of snow. The wall ends about 30 miles east of Knoxville around Sevierville.

Here's how much snow East Tennessee got this week, which didn't set any records even though it was way above average.

Cancellations continue, but some offices are starting to reopen

• Knox County Criminal Court will be closed.
• City Court will not be in session this week, but employees will be available to help with questions.
• Knox County libraries will be closed through Jan. 19.
• University of Tennessee at Knoxville campus is closed, and classes will be held virtually.
• The City-County building reopens at 10 a.m. today.

• Starting with the 11:15 a.m. lineup today, KAT buses will resume on severe snow route operations, which means only on the Kingston Pike, Western Avenue, Broadway, Magnolia Avenue and Chapman Highway routes. Service will end with the 8:15 p.m. lineup. Updates will be posted on KAT’s social media pages and on www.KATbus.com.
• KAT services for Jan. 19 will be determined based on tonight's weather. As of now, KAT hopes to operate Jan. 19 using severe snow routes again. Updates will be posted on KAT’s social media pages and on www.KATbus.com.
• Knoxville Museum of Art will open at 1 p.m. today.
• The Diocese of Knoxville Chancery will be closed today.
• The League of Women Voters Knoxville/Knox County's scheduled forum with the county's state senators and representatives scheduled for Jan. 20 has been postponed.
• The first hiring event of the 2024 season for Dollywood Parks & Resorts, which had been scheduled for Jan. 20 at Sevier County High School, has been postponed. The event will be rescheduled, a release stated.
• All programs at city recreation centers scheduled through Sunday have been cancelled or postponed. Some recreation centers are open, and others are closed, depending of staff availability. Officials advise calling ahead before visiting.
• Trash pickup will not run in the city Jan. 19. Any trash or recyclables not collected this week will be picked up on neighborhoods’ next regular pickup service day. Any overflow trash that doesn’t fit in the cart should be bagged and set next to the cart next week; overflow recyclables should be placed in a cardboard box or clearly-marked container next to the recycling cart on the resident’s next regular service day.
• City Court will not be in session the rest of this week, but employees able to safely get into the office will be available to help residents with questions about their court cases.

Knoxville warming centers continue to provide shelter

As the frigid temperatures continue and another storm moves in tonight, warming centers will remain open today through Jan. 20 for anyone who needs shelter from the cold.

Warming center locations are:

• Magnolia Avenue United Methodist Church, 2700 E. Magnolia Ave.
• co*kesbury Church, 9919 Kingston Pike (north campus, in the Fig Tree Day Center area).

The Vestal United Methodist Church warming center reached full capacity. According to a release, guests are being transported to the more spacious South Knoxville Community Center, 522 Maryville Pike.

Sites are open day and night, but they stop welcoming new guests at 8 p.m., according to a Facebook post. Everyone must be inside by that time.

The Salvation Army’s gym also will be open 6 p.m.-8 a.m. Jan. 19 and 20, according to the post.

The warming centers need donations, essential supplies and volunteers. Find links for how to donate to each site at facebook.com/KnoxHomeless.

Schools are closed, of course. Keep up with the latest

Some East Tennessee districts closed for the week, and some are taking things day by day.

Keep up with the latest openings and closings with us.

Get out and enjoy the snow! (If you can safely drive)

Mid-day temperatures aren't going to be that bad, and we only get snow so often in East Tennessee, so you might want to head out and take advantage.

We've compiled a list of places where you can downhill ski and take the kids snowtubing. You'll have to drive to Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, but this may be a once-a-decade snowfall.

University of Tennessee campus closed Friday and first day of classes is delayed

In-person classes have been canceled at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville for Jan. 19. UT has been closed all week from the storm.

Online classes will continue as usual, and students living on campus will have food accomodations from UT dining.

The first day of classes for the spring semester, Jan. 22, has also been canceled.

An alert said the delay will give students the flexibility to travel safely to campus. Classes will start Jan. 23.

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