Life in Middle Tennessee largely ground to a halt Friday as a much-anticipated snow storm swept through — officially dropping 3.9 inches on Nashville, a record for any Jan. 10 in city history.
As of 7 p.m., trained spotters had reported 4.3 inches in Forest Hills, 4 inches in Lobelville, 4 inches in Wilson County and 3.3 inches in Nolensville, according to the National Weather Service.
Snow day recreation
The wet, wintry mix did not deter all traveling by foot on Friday.
There’s an old saying that goes: “There is no bad weather, only bad clothing.” As some Nashvillians bundled up to walk through the snowy streets, one resident seemed to take the adage about clothing to heart.
Tony Gonzalez WPLN NewsMac Kozi walks through the snow in East Nashville on Friday afternoon.
Mac Kozi was fully dressed for the weather, including some stylish eyewear.
“The goggles are a true savior. I snowboard, so I have these handy. And I just pulled them out of my old snowboard bag, and now, I’m walking around. I feel perfect. It’s beautiful out.”
Kozi said snow like this is no problem for him. He moved to Nashville a year ago from Chicago, where he saw much larger, and more frequent, storms.
Other Nashvillians, transplants or natives, had a similar mentality Friday afternoon, converging on spots around town with elevation — whether it be the popular capitol hill or snow-covered green spaces in their neighborhood — to go sledding.
Tony Gonzalez WPLN NewsSledders take advantage of the accumulating snow in East Nashville.
Nina Cardona WPLN NewsChildren — with the help of one adult — stack huge snowballs into a snowman at the Park Avenue Elementary playground on Friday.
In Nashville’s Sylvan Heights neighborhood, the Park Avenue Elementary playground was the place to be on a snow day. Sisters Everly and Simone were there, working with other kids to make a giant snowman.
“It’s going to be bigger than me and Simone and probably a slide,” said Everly, beside a ball of packed snow that reached chin-height.
That was just the base, about 3 and a half feet tall. Six kids worked together to roll the next piece and pat the snow down tight, which is when a grownup stepped in to help to stack the huge snowballs. Even before starting to make the head, the snowman was almost as tall as one of the kids’ dads.
Cautionary messages
The impacts of the snowfall are already widespread, with K-12 schools and some universities closed, trash collection paused in Nashville, WeGo bus service scaled back, and many government offices closed or operating virtually. Nashville’s libraries and most of its courts and government offices did not open Friday.
Officials are pleading with people to avoid driving — and to expect hazardous roads for several days. When could normalcy return? The National Weather Service says sufficient sun and warmth to melt the snow isn’t due until Sunday and Monday, with temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s.
The arrival of the storm has prompted all-hands-on-deck efforts from local and state road crews.
Special efforts have already been underway to deliver meals and supplies to vulnerable families, and to check on people who are unhoused or who have a disability.
Utilities, meanwhile, are warning of power outages and the threat of frozen pipes.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said Friday afternoon that it would continue monitoring the effects of the storm. As of 5 p.m., there were only a few minor power outages, mostly in West Tennessee.
As of Friday afternoon, forecasters expect between 4 and 6 inches of snow.
Officials have been emphasizing a pair of messages: Take precautions early, like charging essential electronics and circulating plumbing to avoid frozen pipes. And stay home if at all possible.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation began work on clearing the roads Friday, starting with highways and major streets. TEMA director Patrick Sheehan said drivers should give snow ploughs and other severe weather vehicles lots of space.
“We’ve already had one accident at least with a salt truck being struck from behind by a commercial motor vehicle,” he said.
Treacherous conditions led to numerous, other crashes by Friday afternoon: In North Nashville, a semi-truck tipped over, and in Wedgewood-Houston, a car crashed into a power pole, knocking out power. In Humphreys County, a tractor trailer jackknifed on I-40, snarling traffi.
Still, Phillip Jones, the Director of Metro Public Works, said that early preparation efforts set Nashville up for safer roads — particularly when compared to last year’s snowstorm.
“We had a lot of time before this event,” he said. “So what we’ve done … you can tell a major difference — right now, this time — is keeping that bond from getting between the snow and the road. So it’s really made a tremendous difference. Had lot of people reporting how much better the roads are this event.”
Jones said efforts to clear the snow will also be smoother, as the city has 19 brand-new snowplows ready for action.
If you have to drive, have salt or kitty litter in your car, so you can pour it on the road if you get stuck in the snow. Move outdoor pets inside, and cover up hoses or exposed outdoor pipes.
Metro Water is warning of the possibility of frozen pipes, and encouraging residents to open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to circulate plumbing and, in the case of low temperatures, let water trickle from faucets.
The Nashville Electric Service is warning that, sometimes, heavy snow can lead to power outages. They urge residents to charge their phones and digital devices ahead of time, and obtain preparedness items like batteries and flashlights.
Metro has its winter preparedness tips online here.
Tony Gonzalez WPLN NewsJogger Katherine Gomez was out for an early run in East Nashville as snow began to fall Friday.
Additional closure details
Closures include:
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- schools in Cheatham, Dickson, Nashville, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson counties
- Vanderbilt, Tennessee State and Middle Tennessee State universities
- all Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System outpatient clinics and administrative offices
- most Nashville courts
- Davidson County Election Commission
- Metro Clerk’s Office
- Metro Parks facilities (and programs cancelled)
- Metro Public Health Department and Metro Animal Control and Care
- Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
WeGo will be operating on snow route detours through the end of service Friday. And regional buses are not running. WeGo weather alerts are posted here.
In addition, Metro trash and recycling collection services have been paused. Metro has plans to resume trash collection — not recycling — on Monday. The pick-up will include residents whose collection was impacted by the Friday cancellation.
This is a developing story last updated at 8:25 p.m. Friday.
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