Clarksville residents woke up Monday to find that winter had arrived overnight, leaving about an inch of snow on the ground, according to the National Weather Service in Nashville.
The snow came after an unseasonably warm weekend that packed severe storms, tornado warnings and highs in the mid- to upper-70s on New Year’s Day.
A record high of 78 degrees was recorded Saturday at Nashville International Airport, according to National Weather Service Meteorologist Nashville Sam Herron. The last time Middle Tennessee had been that warm on New Year’s Day was in 1952.
“This was just a very dynamic system,” Herron said. “It was very warm everywhere, with lots of wind. And then we had the snow come in on the tail end.”
How much snow fell in Middle Tennessee?
Nashville saw around 1-2 inches, but a more intense band of snowfall was concentrated south and southeast of Davidson County, Herron said. Some areas saw up to seven inches of snow.
“As you go further south, the totals get heavier,” Herron explained Monday. “Residents north of Interstate 40 could see anywhere from about half an inch on up to about two inches in some spots.”
Cheatham County was reporting one to two inches of snow, Robertson was reporting anywhere from an inch to an inch and a half and Sumner was reporting the lowest totals, around half an inch, Herron said.
Forecast for later this week
And more snow could be on the way.
Middle Tennessee has another chance on Thursday.
“We’re kind of getting on the edge of the arctic air,” Herron said. “Right now, it’s not looking like we’ll see as much moisture, not as much as we just had. But, there’ll be lots of cold air behind this next one, and some accumulating snow.
“It doesn’t look like a lot, but as we know, it doesn’t take a lot to impact things around there.”
Herron said he anticipates the next system to bring less than three inches to Middle Tennessee. There’s about a 60% chance of mixed rain and snow on Thursday, turning primarily to snow in the evening, he said.
“This next one is a fairly typical cold front,” Herron said. “But, with temperatures being on the colder side to start, some areas might see more accumulation.”
Thursday’s forecast follows more seasonal temperatures, Herron said.
Tuesday and Wednesday highs are projected to be near 50 degrees. Lows are estimated near 35. On Thursday, temperatures will top out around 40 and dip into the lower teens overnight, Herron said.
On Friday, the rollercoaster weather will continue with temperatures topping out near 35 degrees, he added.
“The weekend will bring a sharp warm-up,” he said. “We’ll be looking at highs in the mid-50s and overnight lows in the 30s.
“It’s not looking like we’re going to get locked in a super cold pattern. It’s going to be up and down. It could be thunderstorms and bouts of snow. We’re going to continue to have it all. The best we can hope for is for a few days to catch our breath in between.”
Tennessean reporter Rachel Wegner contributed to this report.
Reach Clarksville News Director Nicole Young at [email protected] or 615-306-3570.