MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (Rutherford Weather) – Forecast confidence is nearly absolute for a major winter storm moving through Middle Tennessee this weekend. Rutherford Weather’s Bryan Barrett and National Weather Service (NWS) Nashville Meteorologist Alex Sizemore warned that a major winter storm is a “slam dunk” for the region, with the forecast now trending toward a dangerous and prolonged icing event.
A Complicated “Long Duration” Event
While earlier forecasts leaned more toward snow, warmer air moving in aloft has turned Rutherford County into a meteorological “battle zone.” Meteorologists are now tracking a long-duration system that could last 36 to 48 hours, beginning as early as Friday evening or early Saturday morning.
The greatest concern is the transition of precipitation. While the storm may start as snow, models show a warm air trough pushing northward, which would bring sleet and freezing rain to the Murfreesboro area by midday Saturday…