MORGAN COUNTY, Tenn. — Icy roads are reported in parts of East Tennessee on Tuesday morning, particularly in Scott, Cumberland, Fentress and Morgan Counties. McCreary County in Kentucky also reported hazardous conditions.
Snow is now falling in many of those counties.
Emergency crews are asking people to stay off the roads until conditions improve. Tennessee is under a State of Emergency due to the winter storm, which is having the greatest impact in West and Middle Tennessee with ice and snow.
In East Tennessee, the worst impacts are in the counties to the farthest west and northwest on the higher elevation of the Cumberland Plateau. The biggest expected impacts are ice accumulation.
The Scott County Sheriff's Office reported most state routes are clear due to treatment by TDOT, but that back roads are covered in ice. Officials advised everyone to stay off the roads if possible.
Thick ice is also coating trees -- weighing them down and causing numerous trees and limbs to snap. TDOT and THP had to clear frozen fallen limbs and branches from both sides of I-75 in Campbell County Monday evening.
In Cumberland County, officials reported that roads were so icy that salt trucks were unable to get out and treat the roads.
Also, U.S. Highway 441 between Gatlinburg and Cherokee, North Carolina, will be temporarily closed on Monday at 7 p.m. due to expected hazardous weather, according to Smokies Road Info Twitter account.
TDOT said that East Tennessee will have crews report Monday night to respond to potential freezing rain, sleet, and snow predicted for most of the area and crews located west of Knox County will start working at 8 p.m.
Another round of potential ice and snow is expected this evening.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Plan is activated to support the severe winter weather efforts.
Officials said the storm system will create hazardous travel conditions and will likely cause power outages and tree damages due to significant ice accumulations.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency will support local emergency management agencies and is monitoring road conditions.
There are no reports of weather-related injuries or fatalities as of Thursday at 12:33 p.m.
TDOT crews will continue to treat roadways with salt and plowing operations
As of 7:46 a.m. on Tuesday, TDOT said that routes are beginning to dry across East Tennessee.
Crews will continue to monitor and treat slick spots, bridges, and overpasses to confirm that no ice remains in areas with water still present on the roadways as temperatures continue to drop.
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Morgan County Sheriff Wayne Potter is asking the public not to be out on the roads unless it is absolutely necessary.
Potter posted that officers are responding to crashes in the Sunbright, Deerlodge and Chestnut Ridge Areas.
He warned roads on the north end of the county are beginning to become extremely slick.
Morgan County Highway is currently closed due to multiple car accidents. Roads on the north end have black ice, according to Morgan County E-911.
The Scott County Sheriff's Office is also warning people to stay off the roads unless it is an emergency.
TDOT also said crews were looking at Campbell Co. and Claiborne counties due to potential ice, freezing rain and freezing fog.
Additionally, roadways in Cumberland County are covered in ice. Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency says the roads will not improve this morning.
Cumberland Co. Road Superintendent Scott Blaylock is asking everyone to stay off the roads due to crews not being able to get their salt trucks out because of the ice.