Which parts of TN get most snow, which get most rain, which have hottest summers? (Memphis: how much)

[lauranmc]

Tia!

[BirdieBelle]

East TN mountains get the most snow, while the Cumberland Plateau gets a lot too. Memphis has the hottest summers, and Memphis also gets a little more rain than Middle Tennessee.

TSCO - Climate Data

[lauranmc]

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I appreciate your input.

[Antioch]

The past few years Memphis has gotten a lot less rain than the Nashville area. Temps, on average run 5 to 10 degrees warmer in the Memphis area than Nashville area and areas east including Knoxville and Chattanogga areas. Chattanogga is usually warmer than Nashville and Knoxville. The Middle Tennessee and upper East Tennesse areas usually get more snow than the West, TN area, with the exception of areas near the TN river in West TN. Less snow the closer to Memphis or Chattanogga, depending on elevation in the SE part of the state. The Memphis and West TN areas are much hotter in the summer than Middle and East. The Middle portion of TN is probally the stormiest.

[lauranmc]

I see. What about rain? I read that Nashville has rain for about 5 months out of the year. How do Chattanooga and Memphis compare to that?

[westtnman]

It all depends on what area you are comparing. Chattanooga and Bristol are both East TN but there are some sizable differences in weather. According to NOAA...Chattanooga receives less snow on average annually than Memphis. While Bristol receives the most snowfall. Memphis and Chattanooga receive the most rain and Bristol the least. Memphis is the warmest with an average July temperature of 82.5, Chattanooga - 79.6, Nashville - 79.1, Knoxville - 77.7 and Bristol - 74.2.

Suprisingly, the average humidity in July is lower in Memphis at 84 (morning) and 60 (afternoon), Nashville - 88/61, -Chattanooga - 89/57, Knoxville - 90/61, and Bristol 92/61. Not sure how much the humidity difference affects the heat index. I do know that I have lived in all three grand divisions of our state and the difference in weather, except snowfall, between each is nominal and not very noticeable. Unless, of course, you happen to live on Clingman's Dome.

Here's the link to the NOAA site for anyone who is a nerd like me and enjoys looking at data.

http://http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/climatedata.html#CLIMATOLOGY (broken link)

[lauranmc]

Thanks ever so much--very educational, and great link. BTW, I love nerds--I think they're the bees' knees! I'm one, too!! Nerds unite!!!

[skinem]

Originally Posted by lauranmc

I see. What about rain? I read that Nashville has rain for about 5 months out of the year. How do Chattanooga and Memphis compare to that?

All of them will get rain any month of the year, and hopefully each month!

Generally, they all get the bulk of it in winter and spring. Summers USUALLY are times when there are frequent afternoon hit-and-miss thunder-showers/brief downpours.

It isn't like where I've lived out west where you would get precip during winter/spring months only and then never see a raincloud for months on end...