I-40 in winter??? (Knoxville, Crossville: safer, estate, areas)

[m22]

We are planning a Christmas trip from San Antonio to D.C. and are planning on driving. Since we are making the drive in the winter, we are a little worried about weather in the mountains. I'll be driving with three kids and my speed demon husband, who will be trying to make good time, I guarantee. Is I-40 through Knoxville, etc. treacherous in December/Jan.? Should we avoid that route through Tennessee and go around through Atlanta and up? (It is a longer drive, but if it is safer, we'll go that way.)
Any tips or insight about conditions on the I-40 route during the winter months is greatly appreciated! I am sorry we're so ignorant about typical Tennessee winters! Thanks!!!

[nashvols]

Actually, if you are coming up I-75, and leaving via I-81, you shouldn't be "in" the mountains at any point (I'm assuming you'll be taking I-10-->I-59-->I-75-->I-81-->I-66). You will be going in between the mountains, for the most part, through the valley.

There could be some areas where you are going up and down foothills and around mountains or ridges where you need to be extra careful...but the chances of you getting caught in the snow (at least through Tennessee) are rather slim. I don't know exactly what the weather is like through I-81 in Virginia...but I doubt it will be treacherous, to be honest.

I would recommend as a precaution, however, that you limit your driving through this area to daylight hours. If there is any bad weather (freezing rain/sleet/snow), it will be at its worst overnight and early in the morning when the temperature dips and wet roads can freeze. Even if it is below freezing, a lot of times the daytime sunlight or the heat from the ground will keep roads from being too treacherous. I would try to limit driving time to between around 9am-5pm if the roads are wet...you can stretch that a little more if they are dry and/or the temperature isn't approaching freezing.

Daytime high/low averages for Knoxville are 50/30 in December, and 47/27 in January. Driving during the day shouldn't be a problem.

[weisgarber1]

Originally Posted by nashvols

Actually, if you are coming up I-75, and leaving via I-81, you shouldn't be "in" the mountains at any point (I'm assuming you'll be taking I-10-->I-59-->I-75-->I-81-->I-66). You will be going in between the mountains, for the most part, through the valley.

There could be some areas where you are going up and down foothills and around mountains or ridges where you need to be extra careful...but the chances of you getting caught in the snow (at least through Tennessee) are rather slim. I don't know exactly what the weather is like through I-81 in Virginia...but I doubt it will be treacherous, to be honest.

I would recommend as a precaution, however, that you limit your driving through this area to daylight hours. If there is any bad weather (freezing rain/sleet/snow), it will be at its worst overnight and early in the morning when the temperature dips and wet roads can freeze. Even if it is below freezing, a lot of times the daytime sunlight or the heat from the ground will keep roads from being too treacherous. I would try to limit driving time to between around 9am-5pm if the roads are wet...you can stretch that a little more if they are dry and/or the temperature isn't approaching freezing.

Daytime high/low averages for Knoxville are 50/30 in December, and 47/27 in January. Driving during the day shouldn't be a problem.

Yes, good advice and accurate.

[hiknapster]

Not to mention that Knoxville isn't in the mountains. We don't get much snow or ice in the winter and I-40 is almost always clear even on those very rare occasions when we get a fraction of the typical northern weather.

You'll be fine. North of here might be another story.

[J&Em]

Up to Knoxville the chances will be pretty slim of having any snow, or for that matter ice. As was pointed out Knoxville is not in the mountains it is in a valley.

Since you didn't say which way after Knoxville...

1) If you plan on going through the mountains to North Carolina to head up on I-85 and then to I-95 there is a chance that some parts of I-40 will have some snow or ice but it is usually pretty well maintained. Asheville, NC is in the mountains there, just so you have a map reference. I-40 is, however, twisty and he will need to slow down in parts even without ice or snow(there are plenty of warnings and runaway ramps there).

2) If you plan on continuing north via I-81 parts of that road in TN as well as VA are higher in elevation and can have snow but chances are still pretty small this far south in December (we managed to hit snow big time in southern Va and northeastern TN when we headed south from points north a few years back in January). Once you've past Blacksburg the elevation goes down and you are traveling below the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's a long haul (about 7 hours) but not overly twisty driving with beautiful views of the mountains on your right for much of the trip from Knox to I-66.

Overall the chances of hitting snow are pretty small, ice is only slightly more and dry pavement is most likely.

As far as heading up through Atlanta (and I presume I-85 to I-95 to head north) will be only very slightly less of a risk and the drive in I-95 is not one I'd choose willingly(having done it many times between NY and FL)between bad traffic and not very scenic sections.

Hope you have a good trip!

[GraniteStater]

Look at an elevation map in the region. I-40 through the higher elevated areas of western NC or the Cumberland Plateau in TN would have a higher likelihood of winter weather during December. One has to be prepared with the necessary winter gear in the trunk. I have seen winter temps colder than -20F in Crossville in January 1985 before so it can get very cold and wintry at times.

[creeksitter]

Just look at a weather map before you set out. The likelihood of encountering hazardous driving in TN is less than 10% but it can happen. I-40 is a much more beautiful drive than I-20. I-81 is far more beautiful than I-85 or 95.

[Bones]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Look at an elevation map in the region. I-40 through the higher elevated areas of western NC or the Cumberland Plateau in TN would have a higher likelihood of winter weather during December. One has to be prepared with the necessary winter gear in the trunk. I have seen winter temps colder than -20F in Crossville in January 1985 before so it can get very cold and wintry at times.

Wash your mouth out with soap.....


The 20th....6 / -20

The 21st....11 / -19

The 22nd....21 / 10

[hiknapster]

Well if we are going to trot out records it was 82 degrees on December 27, 1947 in Knoxville and 77 degrees on January 24, 1950.

Odds are you will be fine. The route recommended by Google is 40 to 81. Personally, I'd stick with it.

[piedmont]

As others have indicated, winter weather can be variable in E TN and across the Appalachians. I would be prepared for snow/ice if I were crossing the mountains on I-40 or even heading up I-81 to DC.

However, avoiding Atlanta is also a nice thing when driving :-) So I would probably make my choice based on the weather forecast for that week.

Drive safe!