First responders on alert as dangerous cold settles into Middle TN

Yahoo

20-02-2025

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — With snow just trickling over some spots now, dangerous cold weather has started to move over the mid-state. A cold weather advisory is in effect for all of Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky, with wind chills expected to hit below zero Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, snow created havoc on the streets of Middle Tennessee. In some areas, crews responded to dozens of crashes; first responders dealt with hundreds of calls linked to weather emergency issues.
In addition to chaos on the roadways, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has encouraged a 'voluntary reduction in power use' due to extremely cold temperatures. A TVA spokesperson told News 2 the power curtailment would be Thursday, Feb. 20, and Friday, Feb. 21 from 6 a.m. until 10 a.m. The effort is meant to reduce both strain on the power grid and save money on energy bills.
'The bitter cold is coming through and those will be the hurdles that we're facing,' director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) Patrick Sheehan said.
Dozens of school districts announced closures for Thursday, with some districts even canceling class through Friday. Many districts pointed to frigid and below-freezing feels-like temperatures as one of the reasons for the closure.
'We are getting ready to go into a cold spell, and the cold spells — when they happen — people work out in the cold can develop hyperthermia,' TriStar Healthcare Emergency Physician Dr. Marshall Hall told News 2. 'Our body is used to being at a normal 98 degrees, but if it gets colder than that, our body starts to react a little bit differently.'
Doctors have already prepared for the worst, but there are some things you can do to prevent the cold from causing harm.
'Pay attention to how you're feeling. I think it's important too to cover all of your extremities…You should dress in layers. The temptation, then, is to remove gloves. Really, you want to minimize the amount of skin you have exposed in this kind of weather,' Sheehan said.
Similar concerns have emerged as scenes of people jogging in extreme conditions. Emergency departments are on high alert for cases of frostbite and hypothermia.
Another major concern heading into Thursday morning is re-freezing on the roadways. Ahead of the snow, state and local crews worked to clear major routes. However, salt can lose its effectiveness below 15 degrees Fahrenheit. That's why first responders are asking you to take it slow on the roads.
Don't forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app.
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