Update, 4:20 p.m.: A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued by the NWS for Montgomery and surrounding counties, with 1 to 2 inches of snow now expected in Clarksville.
The advisory is in effect from 6 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday.
“Rain Thursday will change over to snow Thursday evening before tapering off Friday morning,” the NWS said Wednesday afternoon. “Snowfall totals have increased slightly, with 1 to 2 inches of snow possible mainly in the northern and eastern portions of our area.”
“Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning commute,” the NWS advisory said. “Given the fast rate of cooling behind the arctic front, some flash freezing will be possible whereby all exposed wet surfaces will freeze immediately.”
The wind chill for Clarksville is now predicted to be up to 23 degrees below zero.
Previously:
CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – An arctic cold front will move through Middle Tennessee, likely bringing snow to Clarksville Thursday night along with single-digit temperatures.
The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Chill Warning, with wind chills as low as 20 below zero, from midnight Thursday to noon Friday.
“These cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes,” the NWS warning said. “Avoid outside activities if possible. When outside, make sure you wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves.”
Snow coming
John Cohen, a meteorologist with the NWS in Nashville, said snow is also expected.
“The primary storm system is going to be tracking well to the north of us, but we could see perhaps up to one inch of snowfall in the Clarksville area during the day on Friday.”
Clarksville Street Department leaders said crews are prepared and equipped to handle the coming weather.
The city has 50 employees devoted to clearing city streets, using 30 salt box trucks: 24 12-ton trucks and six 4-ton trucks.
Shelters open
The Salvation Army Emergency Shelter is open for anyone who needs to get out of the cold, according to Maj. Kati Chase.
“With these frigid temperatures, it’s extremely dangerous to be exposed to the elements for even a short period of time. So we are urging all those without shelter to come in. We have hot meals and drinks to warm you up too,” she said.
Manna Café Ministries, 650 Providence Blvd., opened their warming shelter on Saturday, which is expected to be available for most of this week and next. They may closed on Wednesday while the weather is warm to give volunteers a break.
Check the Manna Café Ministries Facebook page for regular updates or call 931-933-0970. A white flag will also be placed outside the shelter when it is open.
Clarksville forecast
Here’s the day-by-day outlook.
Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 50. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.
Tonight: A 20 percent chance of rain after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 40. South wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Rain, mainly after 11am. High near 50. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Thursday night: Rain and snow, becoming all snow after 8pm, then gradually ending. Low around 1. Wind chill values as low as -16. West northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 11. West wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 3. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Christmas Eve: Mostly sunny, with a high near 18. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 8. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Christmas Day: Sunny, with a high near 27. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the morning.
Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 16.
Jake Foster contributed to this report.