As temperatures continue to drop and up to 6 inches of snow is predicted, the City of Clarksville says the city is prepared for winter weather.
Snowfall covers the ground adjacent to streets downtown as seen from Main Street downtown in Clarksville, Tenn., on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Clarksville, taking effect Friday, Jan. 10 at 6 a.m. until Saturday, Jan. 11 at 6 a.m. as the “arctic outbreak” makes it way to Clarksville.
Clarksvillians should expect about four to six inches of snow on Friday.
“We are watching and fully preparing for this predicted winter storm in the City of Clarksville, and our outstanding Street Department is equipped and ready to make our streets safe for travel,” said Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts.
Beginning Thursday night, temperatures are expected to drop with snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
On Friday, there is a 100% chance of snow with a high of 33 degrees.
In a statement, the City of Clarksville said that the Public Safety department is alerted of the watch and the street department is preparing to deploy its fleet of salt trucks and snow plows to clear snow from all designated city streets.
The city is working with the Montgomery County Highway Department, which clears county roads outside the city limits and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), which is responsible for state highways.
“We need the public’s help. We ask that cars in our city’s neighborhoods not be parked along the street sides,” said Pitts in a statement. “Keeping the streets clear of parked cars will enable our salt trucks and snow plows to move through those neighborhoods more efficiently.”
Warming shelter open
Clarksville’s Emergency Warming Center will be open until Jan. 14, possibly the 21st depending on the weather.
Located at 319 Madison St, Madison Street United Methodist, Clarksville Urban Ministries and Manna Cafe Ministries have come together to offer one central location, with room for 125 people, for those needing a warm place to stay during multiple freezing cold nights.
The Clarksville Transit System will be transporting people to Madison Street UMC free of charge, and the following mornings to Loaves and Fishes where people can stay until the warming center re-opens later that afternoon.
“CTS is committed to ensuring that folks get to the warming shelter anytime that temperature get below 32 degrees,” said director of Clarksville Transit System, Michael Ringgenberg in December.
Winter weather safety tips
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Close blinds and curtains to keep some heat in
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Close off rooms to avoid wasting heat
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Place towels or rags in cracks under doors
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Have plenty of batteries and flashlights
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Charge all your electronic devices
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Have multiple ways to get storm updates such as a weather app on your phone
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Close foundation air vents
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Identify, repair or caulk any openings that allows the flow of outside air inside
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Unhook hoses from faucets and yard meters
Kenya Anderson is a reporter for The Leaf-Chronicle. She can be contacted at kanderson@gannett.com or on X at kenyaanderson32. Sign up for the Leaf-Chronicle to support local journalism at www.theleafchronicle.com.
This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Winter Storm Watch in Clarksville: What to Expect and How to Stay Safe