Happy Saturday, everyone! I’m meteorologist Mike Witcher. The orange suit is back—it’s game day in East Tennessee! Thanks for checking in with your full forecast. Hope you have a great day lined up, whether it’s football, family time, or just soaking up some fall-like sunshine.
Where We’ve Been
Yesterday brought highs in the 70s and 80s, continuing the above-average trend we’ve been riding most of the week. Rainfall was limited, with only a few isolated showers.
Today’s Forecast
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Highs: Upper 70s to low 80s, seasonable for late September.
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Rain Chances: About 40% today, mainly across upper East Tennessee and along the eastern slopes of the Appalachians.
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Storms: Mostly spotty, but a few afternoon showers and thunderstorms are possible.
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Evening: Temps dip to the 70s by dinner time, making for a comfortable night.
Sunday & Early Next Week
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Rain chances scale back to 20–30%, with isolated mountain showers possible.
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Most of the Tennessee Valley stays mainly dry, though clouds will hang around.
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Temps continue in the upper 70s to low 80s.
Watching the Tropics – Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine
The big story is offshore:
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Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Imelda by Sunday and possibly a Category 1 hurricane by early next week.
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Track Uncertainty: Yesterday’s models showed a landfall along the Southeast coast. Today’s latest data keeps it lingering offshore, spinning before curving back out to sea.
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Impacts: Heavy rainfall totals are expected along the Carolina coastline, with some areas picking up 5–7 inches of rain. Localized flooding and flash flooding are possible for coastal communities.
For us here in East Tennessee, the impact depends on whether this storm drifts inland or stays offshore. At this point, we may only see limited moisture influence by mid to late week—but it’s one we’ll watch closely.
Travel Notes
Many East Tennesseans are heading out for fall break vacations. If you’re traveling toward the Carolina beaches, be prepared for heavy rainfall and possible flooding. If you’re heading toward the Gulf or 30A beaches, current guidance keeps that region drier with minimal impacts.
7 Day Outlook
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Saturday: 40% chance of showers, highs near 80.
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Sunday: Partly cloudy, 20% rain chance, highs in the low 80s.
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Monday–Tuesday: Isolated showers, highs in the low 80s.
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Wednesday–Friday: Watching the tropics. Moisture could lift north, boosting rain chances. Temps stay seasonable in the upper 70s.
Long-range guidance from the Climate Prediction Center hints at another warm-up as we close September and step into October, with the potential for above-average temperatures returning.
Final Word
It’s a great day for football and outdoor fun across East Tennessee, just keep an eye on those pop-up showers. The tropics are the big wildcard next week, so stay tuned.
For quick updates throughout the day, download the East Tennessee Weather app or check out One Minute with Witcher on YouTube, Roku, or Amazon Fire.
Have a great Saturday, my friends, and I’ll see you back here at 6 PM with the latest update.
