Extreme Cold Weather to cause Cumberland Co. School Delays Thursday and Friday

With another Arctic blast of bitterly cold air coming into Tennessee overnight, Cumberland County Schools have decided to delay the start of school for two hours both Thursday and Friday.

Schools have been on Christmas break and were set to resume Thursday but with the wind chill temperatures expected to feel near zero or possibly below, school buses will run late so kids will not be standing out in the weather waiting for a ride to school so early. 

Putnam County schools will be delayed both days as well while Morgan County schools will be on a 2-hour delay for Thursday.

Efforts to protect Animal Shelter dogs from expected extreme cold successful

With construction still underway on the new Cumberland County Animal Shelter building and bitterly cold air moving in, a group of community animal supporters worked together to try and protect some 35 animals avoid being hurt by the single digit temperatures.

Those 35 animals were housed in outside pens.  They have some plastic and tarp walls on frames that have been built by volunteers but they are living on concrete pads and cannot get inside to any heated space.

Outdoor runs at the Cumberland Co. Animal Shelter are partly

protected from the wind but still exposed to the coming single

digit temperatures with no heat sources.  

With the cold moving in a group of animal supporters sent out word requesting help because the shelter would be closed both Sunday and Monday for the holiday and Saturday was the only day the animals could be fostered out for a short-term until the weather warmed up.

We talked to a shelter volunteer who gave us this information:

"As of this Saturday morning, there were at least 35 dogs living outdoors at the shelter and some animal welfare groups wanted to help. One of the groups put out pleas on Facebook for volunteer “foster homes” for dogs. It turns out that to become authorized as an animal foster parent there is a process that can’t be done quickly and not on a weekend. The Shelter Director, who was not working Saturday, agreed to authorize an experienced shelter volunteer and animal advocate to interview each “emergency foster parent” on Saturday if that volunteer would accept responsibility for ensuring the safe return of the animals when the cold weather abated. All of this resulted in 18 “Emergency Foster Parents” providing safe, warm housing for over 35 dogs and making room that allowed all of the remaining shelter dogs to be brought inside the building for several days."

Weather Service Issues Wind Chill Alert Sunday Night to Monday Morning.

Expect Frigid Conditions at Outdoor New Years Eve
Celebrations...

.Cold Arctic air will pour into Middle Tennessee tonight and
persist into the New Year. Steady winds ushering in this cold air
will begin to drop wind chill values below zero New Years Eve,
with some locations approaching -5 degrees by midnight. By the
morning hours of New Years Day, most of the mid-state may see
wind chill values below -5 degrees. Another night of cold air
is expected Monday night, and thus another Wind Chill Advisory
likely will be needed.

WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM SUNDAY TO 9 AM CST
MONDAY.

* WHAT...Very cold wind chills expected. The cold wind chills will
  cause frostbite in as little as 30 minutes to exposed skin.
  Expect wind chills to range from zero to 8 below zero.

* WHERE...Portions of Middle Tennessee.

* WHEN...10 PM Sunday to 9 AM Monday.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Expect wind chill values to fall below zero
  as Sunday evening progresses, creating frigid conditions at any
  outdoor New Years Eve Celebrations.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and the wind will
combine to create low wind chills. Frost bite and hypothermia can
occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure you wear a hat and
gloves.

Special Weather Statement from Natl. Weather Service on Extreme Cold for New Years

Special Weather Statement from the National Weather Service:

Arctic blast to impact the mid state over New Years...

An arctic cold front will move through the mid state on Saturday.
Much colder air will then spread across the area through the
weekend. Low temperatures will reach down into the teens by New
Years Eve morning and will only warm into the 20s during the day.
Then, on New years day, lows will range from 8 to 14 with highs
of 20 to 25.

Adding to the bone chilling cold will be the very low wind chill
values. Wind speeds of 10 to 15 mph will equate to wind chills in
the lower teens during the day on New Years Eve. Later that
evening...winds will persist with wind chill values dropping down
into the single digits. By sunrise, wind chills will reach as low
as 5 below zero in a few northern Middle Tennessee locations. Cold
temperatures will continue into Monday night where Middle
Tennessee will experience wind chill values of minus 5 to minus 8
degrees before sunrise.

If venturing outdoors during the holiday weekend, be sure to wear
multiple layers of clothing. Consider bringing any pets indoors
and check on the elderly. Also, be sure to take the necessary
precautions regarding the protection of water pipes from the cold.

Of additional note, if the expected low and high temperatures of
12 and 23 degrees, respectively for Nashville, occurs on New
Years day, it would mark the 4th coldest New Years Day on record.
The period of record extends all the way back to 1871.