TENNESSEE — While Tennessee is not typically associated with extreme snowfall, historical weather data show that a single winter storm in February is capable of producing a foot of snow in parts of the state under the right conditions.
According to long-term records from the National Weather Service, February is one of the coldest months of the year in Tennessee and often provides the most favorable environment for significant snow events. Average February temperatures across much of the state commonly hover near or below freezing, particularly at night, allowing precipitation to fall as snow rather than rain when sufficient cold air is in place.
Heavy snowfall from a single system is most likely when a strong low-pressure system moves across or just south of the state while cold air is already established at the surface. In these setups, deep moisture from the Gulf of Mexico can override cold air trapped near the ground, leading to prolonged snowfall. When snowfall rates are high and the system moves slowly, accumulations can increase rapidly within a relatively short time…