Checking with officials in the area this morning at 5:15 a.m., parts of the listening area on the plateau (Cumberland, Putnam, White, Fentress, Morgan and Overton) are all reporting icy patches on main roads and numerous ice patches on secondary and back roads. Parking lots of businesses also have icy patches on them Officials say if you must travel this morning and today to use extreme caution and take your time getting to your destination. Otherwise travel is not recommended until later today. As we look northward toward the Kentucky border, the worse the roads are with ice and snow covering roadways. In the valley, (Roane, Rhea, McMinn, Meigs, Loudon, Bradley counties), light patchy ice on the roads is reported.

Officials say the winds last night gusting up to 25 miles per hour actually helped them battle the icing. Road crews started spreading salt on the roadways in Cumberland County yesterday afternoon and by nightfall a thin coat of ice and/or snow was covering vehicles. The winds overnight along with the salt helped dry the main roadways but icy spots still remain from the rain that fell.

The high today on the plateau is projected to be in the mid 20’s and in the valley it is projected to be in the low to mid 30’s. Any melting that takes place this afternoon will re-freeze and ice the roads up again after dark so travel again is not recommended tonight.

Be careful out there everyone!