Happy Friday, East Tennessee! Soak Up a Hot Day and Gear Up for Weekend Storms with a Rising Heat Index

Happy Friday, my friends!
As your local meteorologist, I’m bringing you the latest weather scoop for Friday, July 11, 2025.
It’s going to be a fantastic day—hot, no doubt, but that’s July for you! We started off with some patchy dense fog, especially along the rivers, lakes, and spots that got rain yesterday. Morning temps are in the 70s, giving us a mild yet muggy kickoff. This easy-to-follow blog breaks it down day by day for Knoxville, Chattanooga, and the Great Smoky Mountains, so let’s jump in and enjoy the weekend start!

Friday: Hot and Humid with a Classic July Feel
Today’s lining up as a solid average July day—highs will hit the low 90s, matching our typical 89°F high. But with that humidity creeping in, the heat index will push into the mid to upper 90s, making it feel extra warm. Keep tabs on any rain with the eastTNweather app—its Interactive Radar shows past, current, and future weather based on what’s happening right now, so you’ll know if it’s time to head inside or keep the party going!

Saturday: Best Chance for Rain and Storms
Heading into the weekend, the weather pattern doesn’t shift much, but Saturday, July 12, looks like our top pick for rain and storm coverage. No severe weather threat on the horizon, but any storms that kick off could bring strong gusty winds and some locally heavy rain. Highs will climb to the low 90s, and the heat index might edge close to or into the low 100s—stay cool! Use the app to stay ahead of the action.

Sunday: More Storms, Less Widespread
Sunday, July 13, brings more storms, though I think the coverage will be lighter than Saturday. We’ll still get those afternoon showers, with highs in the low 90s and a heat index hovering around the low 100s. It’s another warm one, so plan your day smart and track it with the app.

Next Week: Summer Thunderstorms Keep Rolling Through
Looking at next week—Monday, July 14, through Sunday, July 20—expect a few afternoon summer thunderstorms. Highs will stick in the low 90s, with the heat index sitting in the low 100s. It’s that sticky July weather we’re used to, with storms popping up here and there.

Climate Corner: Dry Spots and Past Rainfall, Plus a Look Aheaad
Let’s take a quick climate peek. The US Drought Monitor came out yesterday, and we’ve got a bit more abnormally dry conditions spreading. We’re not in a drought yet, but it sure feels dry out there! Over the past 7 days, most of us have seen some rain, but not everyone’s gotten a share. Look back 30 days, and you can tell who’s had the most versus the least—the Central Valley is lagging, which explains our dry patches. On the big picture, the Weather Prediction Center suggests we might trend slightly above average for rain in the 8-10 day outlook. The 10-14 day forecast shows average weather, with a cool pocket in the Upper Midwest—will it reach us? We’ll find out! For rain, afternoon showers and storms should stay a bit elevated. Fun fact: July is our wettest month, averaging 5.25 inches, so we’re on track for some wet days!