Tennessee has a mild climate. The average temperature is 58 degrees; in winter temperatures generally hover between 30 and 40 degrees, and temperatures are between 70 and 80 degrees in summer. Summer days can feel very hot, however, especially in Middle and West Tennessee. Of the state’s three major cities, Memphis [1] temperatures rise slightly higher than the others during the summer, and the city stays warmest in winter. Knoxville [2] is the coolest city.
The state receives an average of 50 inches of rain per year, and only a few places in the Appalachian Mountains receive more than 10 inches of snow per year. Most parts of Tennessee receive little, if any, snow or ice precipitation annually.
Heavy rains associated with tropical weather systems can sometimes affect the state, and winter weather can close roads in the higher elevations along the Cumberland Plateau and the Smoky Mountains.
A historic drought in the summer of 2007 raised concerns about water supply throughout Tennessee.
The Mid-South, including western and central Tennessee, is prone to tornadoes. The tornado season runs from November to April. The danger of tornadoes is compounded by the fact that they may strike after dark and that in many areas of the state, visibility is limited by hills and trees.
On Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008, a series of tornadoes struck Tennessee, killing 32 people, most of them in Sumner and Macon Counties north of Nashville [3]. Of those who died, 20 were in mobile homes when the storm struck. The event, one of the most deadly natural disasters in Tennessee history, led to calls for better education and awareness.
The best way to avoid injury in a tornado is to monitor weather radio and to move quickly to a cellar, basement, or windowless interior room if a tornado is on the way.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/tennessee/memphis
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/tennessee/knoxville
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/tennessee/nashville