Knoxville weather shifts from a hot Wednesday to showers and storms early Thursday, and WSMV 4 First Alert Weather has issued a First Alert Weather Day for early Thursday A.M. The strongest rain and storm threat is timed to the pre-dawn hours and the Thursday morning commute, when some areas could see soaking rain and damaging wind gusts.
Wednesday brings a brief warm-up first, with heat and humidity building back in and clouds increasing late in the day. Afternoon temperatures are expected to reach the middle to upper 90s before cooler and wetter air arrives overnight.
WSMV 4 First Alert Weather
Scattered showers and storms are expected to move in during the pre-dawn hours Thursday as a cold front crosses the region. A few storms could be strong to severe, with damaging wind the greatest concern and small hail and an isolated tornado not out of the question.
The timing makes this a short window problem for people in Middle Tennessee. Storms are expected to move into southern Kentucky shortly after midnight on Thursday, slide east-southeastward, and exit Middle Tennessee and south-central Kentucky to the east shortly after sunrise on Thursday.
Early Thursday A.M.
Morning temperatures are expected to be in the lower 70s Thursday, then rise to near 90 in the afternoon. That leaves a sharp turn from Wednesday’s middle to upper 90s and sets up a damp start for anyone heading out before sunrise or during the commute.
Friday brings just a small chance for a leftover shower or storm with highs near 90. The weekend looks mainly dry and comfortable by August standards, with sunshine, highs around 90, and overnight lows in the upper 60s.
Middle Tennessee and Thursday
For people in Middle Tennessee, the practical move is to plan for rain and reduced visibility early Thursday, then expect conditions to improve after sunrise as the line of storms pushes east. The hardest-hit spots will depend on where the strongest storms track, but the overnight timing puts the commute in the path of the highest risk.
