983  
FXUS64 KMRX 201122  
AFDMRX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN  
722 AM EDT FRI MAR 20 2026  
   
..NEW AVIATION
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
UPDATED AT 657 AM EDT FRI MAR 20 2026  
 
- ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES THIS WEEKEND. HIGHS SUNDAY WILL BE 15  
TO 20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.  
 
- SCATTERED TO ISOLATED SHOWERS/STORMS SATURDAY WITH LOW-END  
POTENTIAL OF HAIL.  
 

 
   
DISCUSSION
 
 
ISSUED AT 201 AM EDT FRI MAR 20 2026  
 
TROUGHING OFF THE ATLANTIC COAST AND A LARGE RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN  
CONUS WILL MAINTAIN THE NW FLOW PATTERN ACROSS THE TN VALLEY  
REGION TODAY. THE WARMING TREND WILL CONTINUE, WITH HIGHS IN THE  
70S CENTRAL AND SOUTH, TO MID/UPPER 60S NORTH. WINDS COULD GET  
BREEZY AND GUSTY THIS AFTERNOON AS THE SW WIND GETS CHANNELED UP  
THE VALLEY, WITH WINDS AT THE TOP OF THE BOUNDARY LAYER BETWEEN  
25-30 KT.  
 
A SURFACE FRONT AND A WEAK UPPER TROUGH DROP SW ACROSS THE OH VALLEY  
ON FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS COULD BRING SOME SHOWERS AND ISOLATED  
THUNDERSTORMS TO OUR NORTHERN SECTIONS OVERNIGHT. THE FRONT SETTLES  
E-W ALONG THE TN/VA/KY BORDER AREA ON SATURDAY, AND COULD BE THE  
FOCUS FOR SHOWER/THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IN THE AFTERNOON. MODEL  
SOUNDINGS SHOW SOME GOOD MIDLEVEL LAPSE RATES AROUND 8-8.5 C/KM AND  
MLCAPE AROUND 1200 J/KG AT CHA, BUT THERE IS A CAPPING INVERSION  
THAT WILL NEED TO BE OVERCOME TO REALIZE THIS INSTABILITY. FORCING  
APPEARS WEAK SO CONFIDENCE ON A SEVERE THREAT IS LOW. HAIL WOULD BE  
THE MAIN THREAT WITH GUSTY WINDS POSSIBLE AS WELL IF STORMS CAN  
DEVELOP.  
 
A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE PLAINS WILL KEEP A SW SURFACE FLOW  
ACROSS OUR AREA ON SUNDAY THAT WILL PROVIDE WARM TEMPERATURES. HIGHS  
WILL REACH WELL INTO THE 80S FOR MUCH OF THE TN VALLEY. A COLD FRONT  
WILL CROSS THE AREA ON MONDAY, BUT LIMITED MOISTURE WILL MEAN LITTLE  
IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION. COOLER TEMPERATURES WILL FOLLOW FOR  
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, WITH HIGHS IN THE 60S TO LOWER 70S.  
 

 
   
AVIATION
 
 
(12Z TAFS)  
ISSUED AT 657 AM EDT FRI MAR 20 2026  
 
FOLLOWING CALM CONDITIONS THIS MORNING, SW WINDS AND GUSTS WILL  
INCREASE LATER TODAY. CLOUD COVER EXPECTED TO BUILD IN FROM THE  
NORTH. OUTSIDE CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION TOWARDS THE LATTER PART OF  
THE TAF PERIOD AT TRI WITH WHATEVER IS LEFT OF A FRONTAL SYSTEM  
SWEEPING DOWN FROM THE NORTH. LLWS INTRODUCED AT TRI LATE TONIGHT  
WITH AN INCREASING WESTERLY JET.  
 

 
   
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
 
 
CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN 78 54 84 56 / 0 0 30 10  
KNOXVILLE MCGHEE TYSON AIRPORT, TN 73 56 79 57 / 10 10 30 10  
OAK RIDGE, TN 73 54 79 55 / 0 10 30 10  
TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN 68 52 72 52 / 10 30 20 10  
 

 
   
MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
NC...NONE.  
TN...NONE.  
VA...NONE.  

 
 

 
 
DISCUSSION...DGS  
AVIATION...KS  
 
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