whats the weather like here?

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by TennesseeGuy76

I was born in Tennessee and have lived here my entire life. Our state has a humid subtropical climate except in our highest mountains where you can find a humid continental climate. I've spent nearly all of my life in northeast and southeast Tennessee but have driven through and spent time in middle and west Tennessee. If you want to see snow, go to the Great Smoky Mountains. Mount LeConte, one of the highest peaks in Tennessee, received over 5 feet of snow as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Most of the GSMNP is considered a coniferous rain forest. Some peaks such as Mount LeConte can receive nearly 80 inches of rain a year. Elsewhere in Tennessee, besides the mountains in northeast Tennessee and the Cumberland Plateau, snow can be rare. During the past 10 years in southeast Tennessee where I live now, we've for the most part have only had 1-3 snow days each winter. Most storms produce only a dusting and is melted away a short time later. West Tennessee receives even less. As far as weather in the summertime, west Tennessee, especially around Memphis, can be some of the most humid weather you'll find in the United States. It's very hot and muggy in Memphis from May until mid-September. The nights average low temps in the mid to upper 70's. I'd stack the heat and humidity level of Memphis up with that of New Orleans and Jackson, Mississippi, anytime during the summer. The summers in west Tennessee are much more brutal than what you'll find in east Tennessee.

It should be mentioned that you can't live there and Mount LeConte doesn't even have a road to get up it. It's only reachable by hiking.

[marks2014]

Originally Posted by clarissairene

Just curious... whats the weather like all year round? Is there snow in TN? Are there tornadoe risks? Bad rain? Whats the summers like?

Chattanooga as well as the entire State of TN has a slightly unusual climate that is often hard to forecast for other than the summer months. This is especially true of Chattanooga metro area and of course the higher mountains just to the East.

Never go by TWC or even local weather for historic data because it is taken at the airport which has a climate much different than where most live in the Chattanooga area. Example is it might be raining at the airport in January while snowing hard a few miles away but if it's raining at the airport it probably is downtown too so the airport & downtown do have similar climate of little snow, lots of rain, sleet & freezing rain but more of a cold rain in winter.

Chattanooga has a very humid climate. I left the airport one day a couple years ago in January with a light snow and about 36* the landed in Buffalo, NY where is was about zero with heavy Lake Effect snows. My friend wanted to give me an additional jacket but I was taking jackets off because it felt a lot warmer there than in Chattanooga so remember, it is going to feel colder in winter than Buffalo, NY! Some areas will get 35" of snow like this last winter while the airport will only get some. I think they got 15" last winter and the 5" is a climatology from the last 30 year warm phase. Normal snowfall for a cold phase which is happening now is about 12" per year 1950-1980 avgs..

Most areas will run anywhere from 20s - 50s for highs in winter with lows in the teens to even 30s some nights. There will be a few times highs are only in the teens or single digits but that's not typical or every winter. The record low at airport is 10 below hit twice so most areas were 20 below. I figured if it said 35* at airport it was 27* at my house & in summer if it said 90* it was 98* and this is true per the atomic clocks that give temps too.

Weather changes mile to mile depending on elevation in the Hamilton County area so be ready for harsh winter conditions in some places various winter days and milder conditions elsewhere but bone chilling COLD then the heat comes.

Tornadoes do hit but are not as likely in Chattanooga as other areas because Chattanooga is surrounded by mountains. Middle TN or Western higher chances or even down in Atlanta. Don't forget earthquakes because they do get occasional small quakes. I remember two fairly strong ones where one could feel and hear it. One was a jerking motion and the other a loud noise like train and rolling feeling. Danger of a major quake is low but in W TN higher chances each year.

Chattanooga does have four seasons but spring & fall are both short. About one month each so then you have about five cold months and five HOT months. The mountains provide cooler summers and one mountain is the Southern most area in the USA to get Lake Effect Snows off the Great Lakes and will get over 300" per year. That is past New Found Gap but forgot name of mountain and is only the one side facing North. Most areas are closed for winter in the mountains such as Clingman's Dome because of wintry weather where those from the North come to visit thinking WARM Sunny TN and then get stuck in the snow and colder conditions they are used to dealing with.

Chattanooga offers nice views and is called the Scenic City. You will find lower crime rates than most Cities in most areas, bad weather most of the year and if you happen to be a conservative you will love it. If you happen to be a liberal or more middle of the road it is not so thrilling since people are about 20 year behind the rest of the nation imo. Just speaking truth and point of view from experience. Being behind is not intended as insult to right wing since two different topics. Fashion is behind just as snowplows compared to other Cities etc. Chattanooga isn't what I remember it being in the late 60s. It was lovely then but is so built up today but that is good if you're looking for work.

I'll be moving North and retiring or semi retiring in MN where it really does snow a lot but is a dryer cold. I don't care for politics so location I'm moving too is one they don't seem to care too much for that. They vote and are done where sports or a good movie are the talk while in Chattanooga it is going to be politics.

Good luck to your move that has been a while back now.

[Tammy Lawrence]

I'm from Maine. I did the research on a states. I have been looking for a new home for myself that had a more stable weather. I hate the cold now. I have found TN is what I am looking for. What I really like to know is what town is best. I'm a farm girl at heart. Horses, dogs, cats, pigs and woods. The population in my town is 9009 on the outside of a city. I would like to find something similar. I also wood like to know more about the creatures that have scales. I have a phobia. Snakes and the like are they daily, even weekly or monthly in the Eastern part of the state? Do they invade your home? Do you find them a concern for children walking to school or playing in the backyard? Spiders what are their concerns? Please let my know in detail.

[My_home_town]

Originally Posted by Tammy Lawrence

I'm from Maine. I did the research on a states. I have been looking for a new home for myself that had a more stable weather. I hate the cold now. I have found TN is what I am looking for. What I really like to know is what town is best. I'm a farm girl at heart. Horses, dogs, cats, pigs and woods. The population in my town is 9009 on the outside of a city. I would like to find something similar. I also wood like to know more about the creatures that have scales. I have a phobia. Snakes and the like are they daily, even weekly or monthly in the Eastern part of the state? Do they invade your home? Do you find them a concern for children walking to school or playing in the backyard? Spiders what are their concerns? Please let my know in detail.

The city of Germantown, TN has an annual Charity Horse Show. It's a town of roughly 39000 people. A little further out and there are nice tracts of land and many folks raise and ride horses. I have several friends who ride weekly.

As for snakes, there is an occasional black snake, but I have only seen one of those. Then there are small garter snakes. While there are roughly 34 snakes common to Tennessee, only 4 are venomous. SNAKES OF TENNESSEE

[DaveinMtAiry]

Originally Posted by JMT

This web site is more than just a chat room. City-data.com also has information and statistics, including weather statistics, for every town in America.

For Sparta:

//www.city-data.com/city/Sparta-Tennessee.html

for Spencer:

//www.city-data.com/city/Spencer-Tennessee.html

LOL this is a 9 year old thread and I would hope the OP got the answer they wanted. But I'm sure others are always stopping by and I can't say enough about the suggestion above. As I researched areas to move I used this site as well. I would open up a window with our town, Mount Airy, MD and then open another window with the town I was researching. Then you can compare everything such as the number of sunny days as well as average high and low temps by simply flipping between the 2 windows.

What I found was NE TN is better weather than MD, shorter winter but still with some snow and a milder summer.

[dknutson 1969]

We're thinking of moving to Oliver springs Tennessee. Never been anywhere in Tennessee but I've heard alot of positive things. I've also been told the southern hospitality there is amazing. The property were looking at is beautiful.

[floridarebel]

TN has more severe weather and tornadoes in the western and middle parts of the state due to flatter landscape. Moisture from Gulf blows and combines with heat and creates thunderstorms. Thunderstorms in eastern TN are moderated by the mountains. Eastern part of state is cooler, especially in the mountains compared to the rest of the state. Western TN can get extremely hot and dry in the summer.

[danielj72]

Originally Posted by floridarebel

TN has more severe weather and tornadoes in the western and middle parts of the state due to flatter landscape. Moisture from Gulf blows and combines with heat and creates thunderstorms. Thunderstorms in eastern TN are moderated by the mountains. Eastern part of state is cooler, especially in the mountains compared to the rest of the state. Western TN can get extremely hot and dry in the summer.

It's worth mentioning that when folks say East Tennessee is cooler in the summer because of the mountains that you need to live at higher elevations to see that cooler weather. Most East Tennessee residents live in the valley, both Knoxville and Chattanooga are located on the river. In the Tennessee valley it's just as hot and humid as much of the rest of the state. If your looking for cooler summers and a bit colder winter then go up on the plateau or look to the Tri Cities. Those areas are somewhat higher and cooler. The mountains themselves are rugged and few live up there.

[dogluver]

Originally Posted by clarissairene

Just curious... whats the weather like all year round? Is there snow in TN? Are there tornadoe risks? Bad rain? Whats the summers like?

I've been here 5 years and the summers are HOT and humid. There is a lot of rain but very little snow. Like my sister told me when we moved here, if you can handle the HOT summer, you'll love the winter.