Driving through Tennessee in January

[alicenwonder99]

I'm now looking at Jan 1 2005 - Jan 7 2005 for our next trip to WDW. I was looking at airline prices and it just can't beat the price to drive for our family of 5. DH made a comment about driving through Tennessee in January and thought it may be a bad idea to drive if there's a snow storm. We're coming from Chicago, so we are used to driving through snow storms. But dh said it will be worse going through the mountains. I'm sure they don't have thousands of snow plows on hand to clear the roads.

Does anyone have any comments on this? Are we worrying for nothing, or is this a legitimate concern?

Mary

 

[campingcorgi]

Well, yucky weather could happen and if it does it will slow down your trip.

Things to keep in mind: they will do their best to keep the interstates open but if it is icy or snowy it will get very slow. Make sure if they predict snow that you go to the grocery store (a little southern joke here!)

They will try to keep Monteagle open, but if it looks to be too bad you can go south from Nashville on I-65 to Birmingham and then I-20 to Atlanta.

You might have beautiful sunny weather and you might not. January in Tennessee is a real toss-up!

 

[manning]

We have driven many times from chicago area that time of year and the worst weather we have had was between Chicago and Indianapolis. It is wide open flat land and the snow blows. What you have to watch out for is black ice. That is a layer of ice on the road that takes on the look of the road. You won't know you are on it until you hit the brakes or make a sudden turn of the wheel. With anti-lock breaks I will tap the brakes periodically. If the anti-lock engages I know I'm on ice. Just drive within the conditions and keep a large distance from the car in front.

If you do have to hit the brakes, (on ice), hit them hard and let the anti-locks engage. then STEER AROUND IF NEED BE. That is what they are designed for. I know of people who hit the brakes and stayed in a straight line. You can guess what happened.

If you are on ice disengage the cruise control.

For the life of me I cannot understand why people want to tail gate. It isn't like driving in a race where drafting is done to save fuel. You won't save any and will get to your destination only a few minutes sooner. I stay out of wolf packs. I'm not a slow poke. I do pass cars, I just stay away from wolf packs.

Here is a little secret to get someone off your tail. Very lightly tap your break enough that it activates the brake light. When that guy gets behind you and starts to see those lights repeatedly come on he backs off. Learned that from a cop.

I know this is more than you asked for, but I felt you ought to know.

 

[merryg]

I cannot speak for I-24, but I know they do close I-75 around Jellico mountain on occasion. Nine times out of ten it is because it is icy, not snowy. With all the big trucks on the roads, it tends to melt the snow, pack it down and then become ice. Thats when TDOT makes the decision to close or not.

I agree with campingcorgi, trying to predict the weather in TN is impossible. You can run your air conditioner in January and your heater in June.

In East Tennessee, they tend to over treat the road, so you would not have much of a wait if they did close the road.

Have fun on your up and coming trip!!!!

 

[crazelion]

agree with campingcorgi, trying to predict the weather in TN is impossible. You can run your air conditioner in January and your heater in June.

That is so true. I have known where shorts in January.

If come through Chattanooga you will be only people traveling on the interstate because we have close down the city. Don't laugh either school and business close when snow.

We get a light dust we closing everything down .