Chilly Morning, Sunny Afternoon & A Weekend Cold Front on the Way

Good morning, East Tennessee! Happy Wednesday—we’re halfway through the work week. I’m meteorologist Mike Witcher with your eastTNweather digital forecast, and today is another one of those days that makes you think fall has already arrived.

Coldest Morning Since 2004
We started this morning with temperatures in the 40s and 50s, officially the coldest August morning we’ve had since 2004. If you needed a light jacket for the kids at the bus stop, you weren’t alone—these crisp mornings are running about 10° cooler than average for late August.

Today’s Forecast: More Sun Than Clouds
Thanks to high pressure settling in, today is shaping up beautifully:

• Morning: Sunshine with just a few fair-weather clouds.

• Afternoon: Highs in the upper 70s to low 80s, which keeps us about 10° below normal.

• Evening: Temperatures dip back into the 70s by 6 PM, around 70° by 8 PM, and near 65° by 10 PM—perfect weather for dinner on the patio, a walk through the neighborhood, or an evening ballgame.

Futurecast shows little more than some cumulus clouds drifting by, so it’s another dry, sunny day to enjoy across the Tennessee Valley, the Plateau, and into the Smokies.

The Bigger Picture: Disturbances & a Cold Front
We’re still in a ridge-trough setup across the country—ridge to the south and west, trough over the eastern U.S. That keeps small disturbances sliding our way:

• Thursday: Clouds increase as a weak disturbance approaches. The southern valley may see a few light showers late Thursday, but most of us stay dry.

• Friday–Saturday: A cold front to the north sweeps across East Tennessee. This one’s moisture-starved, so rainfall isn’t likely. Still, it opens the door to a change in the pattern for the weekend.

Weekend & Early Next Week: Humidity Creeps Back In
Behind the late-week front, dew points don’t really drop. Instead, humidity levels climb as we head into Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Here’s what that means:

• Mornings: Lows will no longer be in the 40s and 50s—expect warmer, muggy starts in the 60s.

• Afternoons: Higher humidity fuels the chance for isolated showers and storms each afternoon.

• Rainfall: Nothing widespread, but more “pop-up” style activity with daytime heating.

The trade-off is that while mornings won’t feel as crisp, we’ll still enjoy plenty of sunshine mixed in with those afternoon storm chances.

Looking Ahead: September & Beyond
As we finish August and roll into September, the long-range pattern keeps us on the drier side overall. Remember—October is historically our driest month of the year in East Tennessee, so this early taste of fall-like weather is right on track with what we typically see building into autumn.