Updated 7:30 a.m.
The top line:
Happy Tuesday morning! It’s another icy day in Middle Tennessee. Most schools and institutions are closed. Once again, officials are urging everyone who can to stay home today. If anything, the roads are more dangerous today after the slushy mess made by yesterday’s traffic froze again overnight.
The details:
Forecasters are expecting temperatures to remain near or below freezing for the remainder of the week, throwing into question when Middle Tennessee will thaw out from the winter storm that hit the region over Presidents Day weekend.
Schools across Middle Tennessee will be closed Tuesday, with the exception of the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, which will hold virtual classes. Franklin, Lebanon and Williamson County Schools have already cancelled classes for Wednesday.
Most of Metro Nashville offices are closed as well, including the courts. Among the few exceptions are the Metro Historical Commission and the Historic Zoning Commission. They’ll be open during regular business hours, as staff work remotely. State offices are closed in 67 counties, including much of Middle Tennessee.
Police in Nashville have responded to more than 250 crashes since Saturday, including more than 40 involving injuries. Meanwhile, Williamson County has reported 171 crashes since Saturday, as well as paramedic calls for 48 injury falls.
“For the love of goodness, please stay home. It is very bad out here!!!!” read one tweet from the Tennessee Highway Patrol just before 1 p.m. Monday.
Salt trucks have been working the roads, but if anything, the roads are more dangerous today after the slushy mess made by yesterday’s traffic froze again overnight.
“It’s fair to say if we don’t see some warmer temperatures, some sunshine, especially if we get more on top of the existing conditions, it’s shaping up to be just a pretty rough week,” says Kathryn Schulte with the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
The National Weather Service says another round of wintry weather is expected to hit Middle Tennessee on Wednesday night. The high temperature is not expected to break 40 degrees until Sunday.
The full Tuesday morning briefing from the local office of the Weather Service is online here.
Samantha Max WPLN NewsAn e-scooter is abandoned on a sidewalk in the Germantown neighborhood of Nashville as an ice and snow storm hit Monday.
Additional impacts and closures:
- Vaccinations in Davidson, Rutherford, Williamson and Wilson counties are canceled for Tuesday. Nashville’s COVID-19 testing centers will remain closed for the rest of the week. And the Williamson County Health Department also closed its testing for Tuesday.
- Most Middle Tennessee school districts have canceled class for Tuesday. Closures include: Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Maury, Murfreesboro Special, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner and Wilson. Meanwhile, Franklin Special, Lebanon Special and Williamson County Schools are canceled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Tuesday will be a remote learning day for the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System.
- State offices are closed in 67 counties, including much of Middle Tennessee. The Tennessee General Assembly announced it also will not meet Tuesday.
- The Jackson Supreme Court Building and the Nashville Supreme Court Building will be closed Tuesday, although e-filing will be available.
- WeGo has canceled regional bus service, but the WeGo Star commuter train is running. WeGo Access will be running only medical trips today.
- Metro Nashville has suspended trash and recycling collection scheduled for Tuesday. Public Works tentatively plans to pick up from those homes on Wednesday. Residents who missed collection because of the Presidents Day holiday will now have to wait another week for pickup. All Metro Convenience Centers are also closed.
Our Maintenance & Operations teams don’t take #snow days. Thanks for your hard work. 🙏
FYI: Flight cancellations & delays are expected to continue into Tuesday. As always, please check with your airline for the latest information about an upcoming flight. #BeSafe #NashvilleWx pic.twitter.com/u2nDruJFKG
— Fly Nashville (@Fly_Nashville) February 15, 2021
According to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, 16,000 customers across the state are believed to have lost power during the holiday weekend’s storms. The Tennessee Department of Health says it has been notified of two weather-related fatalities in Shelby and Maury counties.
Samantha Max WPLN NewsA view of the Tennessee State Capitol from Bicentennial Mall on Monday as a mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow hit the region.
WPLN’s Chas Sisk, Samantha Max and Rachel Iacovone contributed to this report.
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