Uncertainty reigns as officials prepare for snow, ice and sleet

A winter storm continues to bear down on Tennessee, and forecasters are scrambling to figure out what form of precipitation is likely to fall where.

A statement from the National Weather Service office in Memphis early Thursday said icing of up to a half inch was possible along the Interstate 40 corridor from Memphis to Jackson. Forecasters cautioned that it wasn't clear what form the precipitation would take.

Precipitation was expected to begin early Friday morning in Middle Tennessee with snow in the northern counties and a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain south of Nashville. By Friday night, snow was expected to overspread the entire region.

The National Weather Service forecast Web page for Shelbyville, checked after 7 a.m. today, calls for snow and sleet after midnight tonight; rain, freezing rain, snow and sleet on Friday, with snow and sleet accumulation of up to 2 inches and ice accumulation of up to 1/4 inch. Moderate snow accumulation is possible Friday night, and there is a chance of snow on Saturday as well.

Due to the threat of inclement weather, Central High School and Cascade High School basketball games originally scheduled for Friday will be played today instead.

As of press time, Community High School's games will go on as scheduled.

Bedford County School Superintendent Gray said the school system is receiving weather updates from the National Weather Service and the local Emergency Management Agency.

"We do not want to be in school and have ice on the road," said Gray. "If we're going to make an error, it's going to be on the side of caution."

The school system posts closing announcements to its Web site, www.bedfordk12tn.com. The Times-Gazette will also post the information at its Web site, t-g.com.

Ice is the culprit

Scott Johnson of Bedford County Emergency Management Agency said Wednesday afternoon that ice, because it can bring down trees and power lines, is the greatest threat from an emergency management standpoint.

"We don't get real concerned about snow," he said. "We get real concerned about ice."

"Snow is one thing," said Gray. "Ice is a whole lot worse."

He planned to be online with a National Weather Service conference call at 9:30 a.m. this morning to hear the latest about the developing winter weather situation, so that he could relay that information to other county departments.

Johnson urged local citizens to prepare for the worst.

"Any time we have an ice event .... People need three days' worth of water, three days' worth of food, just in case," said Johnson. A flashlight, extra batteries and a fully-charged cell phone are also good ideas. Because ice storms can bring down trees, they can prevent people in some areas from getting out for supplies.

Those who have electric generators should not operate them in the garage or near open windows, where gases can easily enter the home. No one should sleep in a running automobile, for the same reason.

Johnson said EMA has coordinated with the Red Cross in the event that significant power outages create a need for the county's three "warming shelters" to be opened. But he said he does not anticipate a need for that at this time.

If a winter storm does materialize, the best thing many people can do is stay put.

"If they don't have to go anywhere, they shouldn't," Johnson said. "Staying off the roads is the best thing they can do."

'As ready as we can be'

Bedford County Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman said his department is prepared for the worst but hopes the winter storm will pass Bedford County by.

"I'm hoping we'll be on the borderline," said Smotherman.

The county has two salt trucks and two graders to cover 680 miles of county roads, so crews concentrate on hilly areas where ice and snow are likely to pose the greatest risk. Smotherman said the graders are of little use on snowfall amounts of less than two inches; in those cases, salting the roads is the primary option. And graders don't have any impact on ice whatsoever.

Smotherman said his crews are prepared.

"We're as ready as we can be," he said.

TDOT braces for impact

Tennessee Department of Transportation maintenance crews have been putting salt brine on state-maintained roadways, loading salt trucks and installing snow plows.

"When our crews hit the road, give them room to work," said TDOT Maintenance Director Greg Duncan in a news release. "Maintain a safe distance and avoid tailgating or stopping too close to a snowplow because they're usually spreading salt or brine from the back of the truck and those materials can damage a vehicle's paint."

When snow hits Tennessee, TDOT maintenance crews first focus on clearing interstates and heavily traveled state routes, specifically areas vulnerable to freezing, like hills, curves, ramps, bridges and interchanges.

TDOT has more than $12 million available for snow and ice removal operations across the state this year. Statewide, TDOT has 831 salt trucks, 822 snow plows, more than 160,000 tons of salt, more than one million gallons of salt brine and more than 1,200 employees available to help clear roadways during snow events.

'If it's snowing, should I be going?'

TDOT and the THP remind motorists to dial *THP from any cellular phone should they become stranded or need assistance when on the road.

Tennesseans can monitor roadway conditions before leaving home by visiting the Tennessee 511 website at www.tn511.com or by dialing 511 from any land line or cellular phone.

"It's important to plan ahead and know the road conditions before you leave the house," Duncan said. "Before leaving home, everyone should ask, 'If it's snowing, should I be going?'"

For more information about TDOT winter weather program, including safe driving tips, go to www.tennessee.gov/tdot and click on the "Ice and Snow: Take it Slow" logo.