Tennessee’s winter storm worsened early Sunday and more than 260,000 people were without power as of 9 a.m.
Outages topped 160,000 in Davidson County, and there were more substantial outages in Sumner, Williamson, Macon, Maury, Montgomery and Robertson counties. Power losses in Nashville increased dramatically between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m., when outages increased from about 6,000 to more than 90,000, according to Nashville Electric Service.
A federal disaster has been declared for all 95 counties. Gov. Bill Lee said Sunday that the declaration will support winter storm operations and recovery.
Freezing rain has coated much of the region, and emergency officials across Middle Tennessee spent the night reporting the ominous sound of limbs falling. Downed trees have blocked roads in some communities, and the National Weather Service describes travel as “dangerous to impossible.”
In Nashville, WeGo suspended service at 7:45 a.m., citing the weather disrupting communication infrastructure that connects with buses.
Meteorologists increased the expected ice accumulations for the state, and as of Sunday morning another half-inch of ice was still expected across a long swath of Middle Tennessee — including in Nashville.
Additional snow could fall later Sunday.
The forecast for the week is foreboding. The weather service continues to warn of prolonged impacts, with temperatures likely to remain below freezing into next weekend, with few brief exceptions. For people without power, the temperatures will be dangerously cold.
The depth of the freeze will be at its worst overnight Monday into Tuesday, with the temperature in the single digits.
This post was last updated at 9:01 a.m. Sunday.
Medical Effects Of Extreme Cold: Why It Hurts And How To Stay Safe
Reported Saturday
The wait is over. A major winter storm that’s sweeping through the U.S. mid-section has entered Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky.
The system arrived Saturday morning, a bit later than forecast, but bringing the wintry mix of snow, sleet and ice as expected.
The entire state of Tennessee is under an emergency declaration issued by Gov. Bill Lee. State and local emergency crews are working to manage conditions that might impact travel, electrical power and general safety. Multiple school and church closings and event cancellations or delays are underway.
By noon Saturday, more than 300 flights had been cancelled at Nashville International Airport.
Tony Gonzalez WPLN NewsKids sled on Russell Street in East Nashville.
Snowfall in the Nashville area was 2-3 inches by Saturday afternoon. The mid-state is now experiencing a mixture that is more sleet and freezing rain, according to the National Weather Service in Nashville. Forecasters say we are more likely to have ice accumulations overnight into Sunday and extremely cold termperatures, dipping in to the single digits by Monday.
Impacts
The wintry mix is causing dangerous travel conditions. Metro Nashville Police (MNPD) report more than 70 car accidents by 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) also reports increasing incidents on roadways and their HELP trucks have been busy assisting motorists. Drivers are advised to get to their destinations as soon as possible because conditions are expected to rapidly decline tonight.
No significant power outages have occurred, but that is likely to change as ice accumulates through the weekend, causing downed trees and branches that can damage power lines. Increasing energy demand can also cause power disruptions.
Preparations and services
For those who need shelter from the dangerous cold, warming centers are available throughout the state. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) maintains a map of these centers.
The Metro Emergency Overflow Shelter is open and will continue to operate 24 hours on Saturday, January 24th and Sunday, January 25th. The agency will monitor conditions and provide shelter as long as temperatures are below 32 degrees for three consecutive hours.
Metro Social Services has activated its Severe Weather Response, offering emergency meal delivery to homebound residents like seniors and disabled folks before the storm hits.The service will also increase its number of senior house-calls and work with emergency services around the clock to help those affected by the storm.
Officials recommend that people take precautions such as dressing warmly, bringing pets indoors and keeping an eye on the latest forecast.
Nashville Electric Service and Tennessee Valley Authority are prepared for potential power outages.
A Crisis Cleanup Hotline is active to provide free property cleanup assistance related to the winter storm. Requests can made by phone at 844-965-1386. The service is provided by volunteer organizations.
Cancellations and delays
Multiple school districts, colleges and universities have announced closures, delays or changes to in-person participation. Metro Nashville Public Schools and all districts in the counties contiguous to Davidson will be closed Monday, January 26 and Tuesday, January 27.
Middle Tennessee State and Tennessee State universities will have remote learning on Monday.
Copyright 2026 WPLN News