A low pressure system moved northeast from the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico along the Western Atlantic coastal waters generating heavy snowfall across the Carolinas extending west into the terrain along the Tennessee and North Carolina border. Snowfall generally ranged from around 4 to 8 inches with a few locally higher totals.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS MRX wrote it up.
A low pressure system moved northeast from the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico along the Western Atlantic coastal waters generating heavy snowfall across the Carolinas extending west into the terrain along the Tennessee and North Carolina border. Snowfall generally ranged from around 4 to 8 inches with a few locally higher totals.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Morristown, TN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 8, 6:13 AM EST, 1 hour 47 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Morristown TN
613 AM EST Fri Dec 8 2017
.AVIATION...Snow expected to move in early in the period, then
diminish tonight. Still quite a bit of uncertainty about how much
vis/cig lowering will occur with the precipitation, but for now
will take all sites to MVFR conditions.
&&
.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...Winter Weather Advisory until 7 AM EST Saturday for Cherokee-
Clay.
TN...Winter Weather Advisory until 7 AM EST Saturday for Johnson-
Southeast Carter-Southeast Greene-Unicoi.
Winter Weather Advisory until 7 AM EST Saturday for Blount Smoky
Mountains-Cocke Smoky Mountains-East Polk-Sevier Smoky
Mountains-Southeast Monroe.
VA...None.
&&Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Morristown TN 440 AM EST Fri Dec 8 2017 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-090945- Cherokee-Clay-Scott TN-Campbell-Claiborne-Hancock-Hawkins- Sullivan-Johnson-Morgan-Anderson-Union-Grainger-Hamblen- Northwest Cocke-Cocke Smoky Mountains-Northwest Greene- Southeast Greene-Washington TN-Unicoi-Northwest Carter- Southeast Carter-Roane-Loudon-Knox-Jefferson-NW Blount- Blount Smoky Mountains-North Sevier-Sevier Smoky Mountains- Sequatchie-Bledsoe-Rhea-Meigs-McMinn-Northwest Monroe- Southeast Monroe-Marion-Hamilton-Bradley-West Polk-East Polk-Lee- Wise-Scott-Russell-Washington- 440 AM EST Fri Dec 8 2017 /340 AM CST Fri Dec 8 2017/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Southwest North Carolina...East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Accumulating snow is expected across the mountains of East Tennessee and in Southwest North Carolina today into tonight. See the latest winter weather advisory for details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday Another system dropping down from the northwest into the region Saturday will increase light snow mainly over the higher elevations with half one inch amounts possible from the Smoky Mountains north into Virginia. A re-enforcing shot of cold temperatures and breezy conditions will allow wind chill Temperatures to be dangerously cold across the higher elevations, with values Saturday night dropping into the single digits to near zero. Wind chills in the teens are anticipated in the Valley. Another cold frontal system will move across the area Tuesday ushering in very cold temperatures with snow showers, especially across the higher elevations. Once again wind chills will drop to around zero across the higher elevations Tuesday and Tuesday night. Wind chills in the teens are anticipated in the valley. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
A snowfall total of 5 inches was estimated at Cosby.
A snowfall total of 5 inches was measured six miles south southeast of Gatlinburg.
A snowfall total of 5 inches was measured six miles south southeast of Gatlinburg.
A snowfall total of 7 inches was measured three miles southwest of Roan Mountain.
A snowfall total of 6.7 inches was measured four miles east northeast of Limestone Cove.
A snowfall total of 5 inches was measured two miles south southeast of Watauga.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, December 2017
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 724230, 724231, 724232, 724226, 724227, 724229.